Grapevine, Texas, is the city that hosts the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. It was established in the 1850s after a treaty with 10 Native American nations, and today, the population is more than 50,000 people. The residents of Grapevine are hardworking citizens who rely on their paychecks for food, shelter, transportation and recreation. When a disabling injury or medical condition, however, leaves you unable to support yourself and your family, the situation can quickly turn dire.
Nearly 30 million people are currently disabled in the United States.To support them, the federal government has established a disability insurance program for U.S. workers known as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Those who qualify for SSDI are eligible to apply for a monthly monetary benefit to help pay for basic needs to maintain a good quality of life.
Because SSDI is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), it is often confused with another program for the disabled called Supplemental Security Income (SSI). However, SSI is an income-based social program, while SSDI is an insurance policy. Workers in the U.S. pay the premiums on this policy though automated payroll deductions, so many people are covered under this program without even being aware of it.
To qualify for SSDI, several criteria must be met, including two that are work-related as well as a strict disability requirement. One of the work requirements is based on how long you have worked, which ensures that applicants have sufficiently paid into the program. The other requirement looks at how recently you have worked, because the insurance program is meant to assist people who must sustain themselves by working.
Once you meet the work criteria, you will also have to prove that your disability is severe enough to prevent you from both performing your former work duties and adjusting to any new work you are qualified to do. When reviewing your application, the SSA will compare your disabilities to a list of qualifying physical conditions and psychological impairments that are expected to last at least one year or to result in death.
To apply for SSDI in Grapevine, TX, you can either go to the SSA office in Grand Prairie or complete the online application. Your application however, could be delayed or rejected if it is not filled out correctly, which requires an understanding of all the medical terms regarding your disability. It is also necessary to include your medical records and a few other pieces of evidence to verify who you are and where you live.
Because so many people are applying for SSDI, there are more than a million applications waiting to be processed at any given time. You will have to wait several months before a decision on your application is made. Only about 35 percent of applications are approved after the first review, so most people must go through the appeals process for approval.
There are four levels of appeal to go through before your application is considered completely denied. The first is to ask for reconsideration. If that fails, then you will have to ask for a hearing before an administrative law judge.
To alleviate the stress of applying for SSDI in Grapevine, TX, and to ensure all of the steps are taken correctly and in the right order, it helps to hire an experienced disability attorney. Our experienced team at Chermol & Fishman, LLC can complete the application on your behalf and will know all of the legal and medical terms required to prove your disability to the SSA.
If your initial application has already been denied, we can take your case through all four levels of appeal, should it need to go that far. We will represent you at the hearing and will always have your best interests in mind. Contact our law firm at Chermol & Fishman in Grapevine, Texas right away for further information on SSDI. Our lawyers will fight for your rights.
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