Hard-working American citizens who pay their taxes out of each and every paycheck often assume that Social Security Disability benefits will be there for them should they ever need them.
Unfortunately, many of these workers find out that the system doesn't always work the way it should. This realization usually comes when the worker is faced with a severe long-term or permanent disability that prevents them from continuing work. These individuals soon discover that getting Social Security Disability benefits isn’t as easy as simply applying.
If you are applying for disability benefits in the Vista, California area and want to increase your chances of getting disability benefits, the services of a Vista, California Social Security Disability attorney can be crucial to the outcome of your Social Security Disability claim.
About Vista, California
Vista, California benefits from a diverse economy. Many of the area's residents are employed in the educational, manufacturing, government, insurance, and retail sectors. Some of the area's top employers include the Vista Unified School District, Watkins Manufacturing Company, the San Diego Superior Court, Unitrin Direct Auto Insurance, and Pennysaver.
There is also a large corporate park within the city that is home to more than 800 different companies. The median household income for the city is just above $49,000 while the cost of living is 34 percent above the national average.
Vista is home to more than 93,000 California residents. In the State of California, approximately 2.9 percent of the population receives Social Security Disability benefits with an average disability payment of $1,083.80 per month. While a monthly benefit of this amount can help offset some of the financial stress that can be caused by a disability, most Vista Social Security Disability applicants wait nearly three years before seeing their first disability payment from the Social Security Administration.
Disability Benefits in Vista, California
The extensive wait times faced by Vista Social Security Disability are largely due to the fact that the majority of disability applicants are denied benefits during the initial stage of the disability application process. These applicants must then pursue a disability appeal, which usually involves a disability hearing before an administrative law judge.
The ODAR office that is in charge of scheduling the disability hearings for Vista residents is located in San Diego. It takes this office an average of 602 days just to schedule a disability hearing. Once the hearing has been concluded, it takes an applicant another two to three months to find out whether or not the judge hearing their case decided in their favor.
When you consider the fact that the initial disability application process takes three to six months and the Request for Reconsideration takes another three to six months, it means that many disability applicants are already one year into the process before their hearing is even requested. From that point, it takes about two years to receive a decision on their case from the administrative law judge, meaning that many Vista Social Security Disability applicants will wait three years before benefits begin.
Hiring an Attorney in Vista, California
If you want to avoid the hassle of a disability appeal, your best bet is to retain the services of a qualified Vista Social Security Disability lawyer. A disability lawyer can help you prepare your disability claim in such a way that it is presented to the SSA in the best light possible, increasing your chances of a favorable decision. If, however, you are still denied Social Security Disability at this stage of the application, your Vista Social Security attorney can represent you through each stage of the disability appeal process.
The good news is that nearly two-thirds of disability hearings are decided in the favor of the disability applicant. However, your specific chances of a favorable hearing outcome will vary depending on your hearing strategy and the judge who is overseeing your disability case. Some judges have higher award rates than others. You can, however, tip the scales in your favor with representation from a qualified Vista Social Security lawyer.
Fortunately, hiring a Vista disability attorney is very affordable. These professionals work on a contingency basis, collecting 25 percent of the amount of back pay that you are awarded by the Social Security Administration, up to a maximum amount of $6,000. The exact amount that will be collected by your attorney will depend on how many months of back pay you are awarded and what your monthly benefit amount is. If you do not win your disability case, your lawyer does not collect a fee.
For more on disability benefits in California, see How To Qualify For Disability In California.
