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    What to Know When Seeking Social Security Disability Benefits

    When you start a disability benefits claim, you can apply online, over the phone or at a Social Security office.

    But we don’t recommend jumping right into it without preparation. It’s difficult to win benefits, so first take the time to gather your information and documents and then start filling out the forms.

    A Charleston disability lawyer from Robertson Wendt Disability can help you.

    We’ve been helping our South Carolina neighbors with Social Security Disability applications for decades.

    Many people think that if they just explain their situation to Social Security, they’ll qualify for disability benefits. It doesn’t work like that.

    Social Security won’t rush to help you, but we will.

    Our team understands what it takes to successfully apply for disability benefits, and we’ll work with you from the beginning to build a convincing claim. Not all disability law firms help with initial applications.

    These benefits can make a difference in your life, so it’s important to get your disability application right.

    It won’t cost you anything to talk to us about your claim, and you only pay an attorney fee when you win benefits.

     

    Who Can Qualify for Social Security Disability in South Carolina?

    The first thing to do before you start your disability application is understand which of the two Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits programs you might qualify for.

    Both require you to show that you can’t work any job due to your health. They each have separate requirements as well.

    Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is the program for people who worked and paid into Social Security for several recent years.

    Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a need-based program based on your lack of financial resources, not your work history.

    Here is a closer look:

    Requirement SSDI SSI
    A work-stopping health issue YES YES
    A substantial, recent work history and enough “work credits” YES, you need to have paid into Social Security to qualify. NO, you can qualify for SSI even if you never worked, haven’t worked in a long time or only worked a little.
    Limited financial resources NO, you can have any amount in income or resources like investment income, rental properties or a spouse’s income and still receive SSDI. YES, individuals are limited to $2,000 in financial resources, and couples are limited to $3,000, with some assets not counted.
    Benefits
    Monthly payments Payments are calculated based on an average of past years of your income. Payments start at a standard maximum amount and get reduced based on your income or other benefits.
    Medical coverage YES, SSDI recipients can enroll in Medicare after a waiting period. YES, SSI recipients can enroll in Medicaid along with approval for disability.

    You should know that sometimes you can receive benefits under the SSDI program based on a family member’s Social Security work record. In those cases, you don’t need recent work experience or a certain number of work credits in the system.

    This can apply to widows or widowers of spouses who qualified under Social Security and to the adult children of workers who qualify.

    Determining which type of application to file to get the maximum benefits available can get complicated. An experienced disability attorney can guide you.

    If you think you qualify for any type of Social Security Disability benefit, it’s time to apply for disability—preferably with the help of a disability lawyer.

    This process can be intimidating, but a Charleston Social Security Disability attorney from Robertson Wendt Disability can help you navigate this.

    Get started with a FREE disability claim consultation over the phone.

     

    Applying for Disability Benefits: A Step-by-Step Guide

    The Social Security Disability application process takes a lot of work, so we’ll break it down into easy-to-digest steps.

    If you think that you qualify for SSDI or SSI, here’s what you should do next:

    Step #1: Check the official listing of impairments for your health issue.

    Social Security keeps an online list of impairments in what people call its “blue book” because it used to be a physical book with a blue cover.

    Now you can look at the SSA’s website to see which health problems it lists and how it evaluates disability claims for each particular ailment.

    If you have a qualifying impairment, its entry in the blue book gives you an idea of what a claims examiner will look for and what type of information you need to provide.

    If you don’t see your health issue or you suffer from multiple ailments, don’t despair. A Charleston disability lawyer can help you show that you meet the general definition of disability.

    Step #2: Gather your medical records and other evidence.

    Describing your symptoms and how they impact you at work is important, but you’ll need other, independent evidence to back up your disability claim.

    Items that help include:

    • A written diagnosis from your doctor
    • Results of lab tests and psychological evaluations
    • Information about treatments you’ve tried and their effectiveness
    • A list of prescription medications you take
    • Evidence that you needed accommodations at work or that your health disrupted your work
    • Statements from friends, family, coworkers and anyone else who has witnessed your work struggles

    The more objective evidence you have, the better.

    Step #3: Be ready to verify your work history or financial records.

    Remember, SSDI requires you to have a work history, so you’ll need documentation that you worked and information about your past income.

    Social Security can look at its own records for this information, but it’s good to have this information handy, too, in case there are issues or discrepancies.

    For SSI, you need to show that you meet the strict financial limitations of the program. Bank statements, pay stubs and information about other benefits you receive help here.

    Step #4: Apply for benefits online, over the phone or in person.

    You can apply for disability benefits online through the SSA’s website, call Social Security and go through the application process over the phone or visit a local Social Security office to apply in person.

    You will need to fill out pages of forms and refer to the information you’ve gathered about your health situation and work background.

    We recommend working with a Charleston disability attorney who can help you get your disability claim filed properly.

     

    What Happens After I’ve Submitted My Disability Claim?

    Once you’ve applied for disability benefits, you’ll wait to hear from Social Security about whether you’ll be awarded benefits.

    You can expect to wait several months to get a decision on your initial disability claim. The wait depends on the backlog of claims at Social Security and how many claims examiners are available.

    Once you apply, be on the lookout for correspondence from the SSA.

    Social Security might ask for more information about your condition. They might ask you to undergo a special examination from a doctor.

    Promptly responding to the SSA’s requests keeps your claim moving through the system. Ignoring them can result in additional delays or even denials.

    There are some ways to speed up this process, like dire need designations in cases of particularly extreme financial distress and the Compassionate Allowances for clearly serious diseases that don’t need more confirmation, but those only apply to a small percentage of applicants.

    As you wait on your claim, you can check its status on the SSA website, at a local Social Security office or by calling the SSA.

    A South Carolina disability lawyer from our firm can also keep you in the loop about your claim’s progress and answer questions about Social Security Disability benefits while you wait for a decision.

     

    How a Charleston Disability Lawyer Can Help

    Disability attorney Rob Wendt and the team at Robertson Wendt Disability can help you with each step of the application process, whether you need help gathering evidence, determining if you qualify for disability benefits or building your application.

    We can also assist if you get denied disability benefits. Only around 35% to 40% of initial disability claims get approved in South Carolina. Denials are common.

    Appealing a denied claim is difficult. You have 60 days to respond to Social Security if you want to appeal, and it can take even more work than the initial application.

    Whether you’re considering applying for disability or Social Security has already denied your claim, our disability lawyers can step in to help.

    From our office in Charleston, we’ve helped thousands of people in Columbia, Beaufort, Florence and across the state of South Carolina win monthly payments and health care coverage to get back on steady ground after health and income disruptions.

    Contact Us Today.

     

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