There are many hard-working American taxpayers living in Mission Viejo, California. These workers go to their jobs each and every day to earn an honest living. They often live from paycheck to paycheck, relying on the income they receive from their jobs to make ends meet. What happens when they are suddenly faced with an inability to work?
What happens when a long-term or permanent disability interferes with the ability to earn an honest day's wages? That's where Social Security Disability benefits are supposed to come into play. Unfortunately, actually obtaining the disability benefits that these workers are entitled to is not as easy as it often should be.
If you live in the Mission Viejo area and are suffering from a long-term or permanent disability and are in need of Social Security Disability benefits, you should consider the services of a qualified Mission Viejo Social Security Disability attorney prior to filing your initial Social Security Disability claim.
About Mission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo is located in Orange County, California. It is one of the largest planned communities in existence. The main employers in the area include Saddleback College, Mission Hospital, Unisys, Quest Diagnostics, Coldwell Banker and Saddleback Valley Unified School District. The city's median household income is just over $93,000 while the cost of living index is 23 percent above the national average.
Applying for Mission Viejo Social Security Disability Benefits
The City of Mission Viejo is home to approximately 93,000 California residents. In the State of California, approximately 2.9 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability benefits. The average Social Security Disability payment received by a California disability recipient is $1,083.80 per month.
While this monthly payment can most certainly alleviate some of the financial burden that is caused by a disabling condition, the fact that it takes the average Mission Viejo disability applicant nearly two years to complete the disability claim process is somewhat concerning. When a disabled Mission Viejo worker is unable to produce an income, waiting nearly two years before disability benefits begin is anything but ideal.
Why does it take so long for a Mission Viejo disability applicant to complete the disability claim process? The lengthy processing times are due to the fact that the majority of disability claims are denied by the Social Security Administration during the initial stage of the application process. This results in the need for a disability appeal, which usually consists of a Request for Reconsideration and a disability hearing before an administrative law judge.
Unfortunately, it takes the office that is in charge of scheduling the hearings for Mission Viejo disability applicants an average of 358 days to schedule such a hearing.
Many Mission Viejo disability applicants wonder if there is any way to avoid the need for a Social Security Disability appeal, thereby avoiding the need for a hearing before an administrative law judge. The truth is, the only way to avoid a disability appeal is to be awarded benefits during the initial stage of the application process. This is where the services of a qualified Mission Viejo Social Security Disability lawyer can help.
For more on disability benefits in California, see How To Qualify For Disability In California.
Hiring a Mission Viejo Disability Attorney
When you work with a Mission Viejo Social Security attorney during the initial stage of your disability application process, he or she will help you to gather the medical evidence that will be needed to prove your disability to the SSA. Your attorney can also help you fill out the disability claim forms, ensuring that you provide the SSA with detailed and accurate answers that will help support your claim for Social Security Disability benefits.
If, for some reason, you are initially denied disability by the SSA, your Mission Viejo Social Security lawyer can represent you through each stage of your disability appeal.
A disability appeal will normally consist of two stages. The first stage is called a Request for Reconsideration. Unfortunately, more than 80 percent of these requests are not granted by the Social Security Administration. The second stage of appeals is called a disability hearing. This is when you will appear before an administrative law judge who will have the power to overturn the SSA's decision to deny your disability claim.
This is also when you have the best chance of being awarded the disability benefits you need. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of disability applicants are awarded benefits as a result of a hearing before an administrative law judge. Your chances of a successful hearing outcome are even greater with proper legal representation.
If you have already applied for disability benefits without the help of a Mission Viejo Social Security Disability attorney and that application has been denied, it is still not too late. You should, however, contact a Mission Viejo Social Security Disability lawyer as soon as possible so he or she can begin preparing your disability appeal.
