Millions of dollars in Social Security taxes are deducted from the paychecks of working Americans each week. These workers may wrongly assume that paying these taxes guarantee that they will be able to receive Social Security disability benefits if they become unable to work.
What they don’t realize is that approximately 70% of applicants are denied disability. Even those applicants who do end up receiving benefits are likely in for a very long wait before seeing any of the money to which they’re entitled.
If a disabled Florida worker’s application for Social Security disability benefits is denied, they can still pursue their claim by proceeding through the Social Security Administration’s appeals process. When a denial is received, the applicant can file a “Request for Reconsideration.” It will then take another 2-4 months for this decision to be received, on top of the 3-4 months it took for the first decision.
The majority of Social Security disability applicants who end up receiving benefits have their applications approved at the third level of appeal, which consists of a hearing in front of an administrative law judge. Unfortunately, this can happen two years or more after the disabled worker files their application for benefits.
It can be very difficult for Deltona Social Security disability applicants to live on little or no income while their application proceeds through these multiple levels of appeal. If you’re applying for disability benefits in the Deltona, Florida area, hiring a Deltona Social Security attorney can be increase the chances that your application will be improved without having to proceed through the appeals process.
The Deltona economy is largely based on service industries, with restaurants and hotels employing many area residents. There is also a strong retail and manufacturing presence. Bank of America and Staples are two of the area’s largest employers.
Deltona, Florida is currently home to nearly 88,000. Around 4.5% of all Florida residents are currently receiving Social Security disability benefits and their average monthly payment is $1,123.
The Social Security office in Orlando, Florida schedules Administrative Law Judge hearings for Deltona Florida Social Security applicants. A disabled Deltona worker who submits a “Request for Administrative Law Judge Hearing” waits an average of 373 days for their hearing to be scheduled.
This is in addition to the time they spent waiting for their first two decisions in the claim, which in most cases takes an average of five to seven months. Your back pay will be determined from when you are approved dating back to your date of disability onset.
If you are disabled and unable to work it can be extremely difficult to have to wait years before receiving any Social Security disability benefits. You can decrease the chances of that happening by hiring a Deltona Social Security lawyer. A Florida Social Security disability attorney can ensure that your claim is being properly evaluated and make sure that the Social Security Administration has all of the relevant evidence.
In the event that you end up having to appear at a hearing, hiring a Deltona disability attorney can increase the chances that the judge will find in your favor. A disability attorney who is familiar with the SSA’s standards to prove disability knows how to use your medical records and other evidence to prove that you’re unable to work.
They can formulate a legal argument using Social Security laws and regulations and would be present at your hearing to question any witnesses that the Social Security Administration may hire. Each situation is unique, and some administrative law judges are quicker to approve claims than others, but a Deltona Social Security lawyer can help ensure that your claim is presented in the most favorable light possible.
Social Security disability attorneys are paid on a contingent basis, which means that they are only paid if you are awarded benefits. There is no upfront cost to hire a Social Security lawyer in Deltona. If that happens, they will receive a fee equal to 25% of your back benefit payments since your filing date.(up to a maximum of $6,000.)
A Deltona Social Security disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in other parts of Volusia county, as well as in nearby DeBary, Sanford, Lake Mary, Winter Springs, Lonwood, and Maitland.