Many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet. Oftentimes these hard-working citizens take for granted that they will be able to continue working in order to pay their bills.
In some cases, a situation may arise in which one of these workers is no longer able to continue their employment activity due to a long-term or permanent disability. In such a case, the paychecks that this worker has come to rely upon stop and the bills can quickly spiral out of control. It is in circumstances such as these that Social Security Disability benefits are intended to help.
Unfortunately, actually obtaining disability benefits from the Social Security Administration is a task that is not easily accomplished. In fact, an applicant’s chances of being denied Social Security Disability benefits are greater than their chances of being approved when they file a disability application.
If you need Social Security Disability benefits and you want to tip the scales in your favor, the services of a Bloomington Social Security Disability attorney can prove invaluable. If you live in the Bloomington, Indiana area and are in need of Social Security Disability benefits, you need to consult with a Bloomington Social Security Disability lawyer if you hope to have the best chance of obtaining the Social Security Disability benefits you so desperately need.
The economy of Bloomington flourishes thanks to its diverse nature. The city’s economic well-being is influenced by the education, medical, scientific, utility and manufacturing sectors. Some of Bloomington’s largest employers include Indiana University Bloomington, IU Health Bloomington Hospital, Baxter BioPharma Solutions, Boston Scientific, General Electric, Hoosier Energy and Otis Elevator.
The median household income in the City of Bloomington is well below the national average, coming in at approximately $24,000 per year. The cost of living index, however, is also lower, coming in at approximately 12 percent below the national average.
Applying for Bloomington Social Security Disability Benefits
Bloomington is home to more than 80,000 Indiana residents. In the State of Indiana, approximately 4.6 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability benefits. The average monthly disability amount for a disabled worker in Indiana is $1,064.90 per month.
While there is no doubt that this monthly payment can help offset some of the financial stress that can be caused by a disability, these benefits do not come quickly enough for most Indiana disability applicants. In fact, it will take the average Bloomington disability applicant approximately two years or more to complete the Social Security Disability claim process.
Why does it take an average of more than two years for a Bloomington disability applicant to complete a disability claim? While the initial application process for Social Security Disability benefits does take only three to six months to complete, the truth is that nearly 70 percent of initial disability claims are denied by the Social Security Administration. This results in the need for a disability appeal, which takes much longer.
The disability appeal process consists of various steps that an applicant must go through in an effort to overturn the SSA's decision to deny their disability benefits. In most cases, disability applicants will only have to go through two steps of the appeal process – the Request for Reconsideration and the disability hearing.
While the Request for Reconsideration only takes approximately three to four months to complete, the majority of these requests are not granted by the SSA. This results in the need to request hearing by filling out form SSA HA-4608.
The office that is in charge of scheduling these hearings is the Indianapolis ODAR Office, and it takes this office an average of 545 days to schedule a hearing date before an administrative law judge due to the backlog of disability appeals in the Social Security system.
Hiring a Bloomington Disability Attorney
If you hope to avoid the disability appeal process and avoid a wait of nearly two years for a disability hearing, you should consult with a Bloomington Social Security attorney prior to filing your disability claim. Your lawyer will review your claim with you and will help you gather the medical evidence that will be needed to prove your disability to the Social Security Administration. If, for some reason, your claim is still denied or if your claim was denied prior to seeking the help of a Bloomington Social Security lawyer, there is still hope.
A Bloomington disability attorney can represent you through each stage of the disability appeal process and can actually increase your chances of overturning the SSA's decision to deny your disability benefits. In fact, statistics show that disability applicants who have legal representation during their disability hearing are more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who choose to represent themselves. This is why it is crucial to have a Bloomington disability lawyer representing you in your disability appeal.
