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The Social Security
Disability FAQ
Answers to Frequently Asked
Social Security Disability Questions by
St. Petersburg / Clearwater Disability Attorney Colleen
Russo
 Q:
When should I apply for Social Security Disability benefits?
A: If you are disabled,
you should make application to the Social Security
Administration for Social Security Disability as soon as
possible. In order to qualify for benefits, your disability
must be expected to last for at least one year or to result
in death. It is not necessary to wait twelve months before
making application for benefits.
Q: How do I apply for Social Security
Disability benefits?
A: Application for Social
Security Disability benefits is made through a local Social
Security Office. You will need the names, addresses, and
telephone numbers of all the doctors’ offices, hospitals, or
other medical facilities where you have received treatment
for your disabling condition. You will also need to provide
the Social Security Office with your birth certificate, a
W-2 or most recent paystub, and copies of your medical
records.
Click Here for tips and strategies
to keep in mind when making your initial application for
Social Security Disability.
Click Here to make your original
online application for Social Security Disability benefits
with the Social Security Administration.
In the alternative, you can phone in your original
application information by calling: 1-800-772-1213
If you have already made application for Social Security
Disability benefits but you were denied, Call St. Petersburg
/ Clearwater Disability
Lawyer Colleen Russo at: 727-578-0303
Q: What happens if I qualify for
Social Security Disability benefits?
A: Once the Social
Security Administration determines that you are eligible to
receive benefits, you will then be paid the disability benefits that
you are entitled to. You may be entitled to retroactive
benefits which are paid in a lump sum. However, you will
also receive benefits that are paid out each month for as
long as you continue to be disabled. The retroactive
benefits, by law, are calculated so that you only receive
benefit payments for the period beginning five full months
after you became disabled up until the present.
Q: How much money will I receive if I
qualify for Social Security Disability benefits?
A: The total amount of
money you receive will depend on how much time you have
worked, when you last worked, and how much money you have
paid into the Social Security system. The calculation of
Social Security Disability benefits is the same as the
calculation of your Social Security Retirement benefits.
Therefore, you can expect to receive a monthly benefit
payment that is equivalent to what your retirement benefit
payment would have been.
Q: When will I receive benefits?
A: The time from
application to receipt varies from case to case. An
applicant who is approved after making just one application
to the Social Security Administration can expect to receive
benefits three to four months after submitting the
application. However, government statistics clearly show
that most people who apply for Social Security Disability
are not approved after submitting their first application.
Usually, it will require two or three attempts before
benefits will be awarded. Many times, a claim must go to a
“hearing stage” before it is approved. Once you have been
approved (either by application of hearing), the benefits
you are paid will include a settlement amount that
represents the benefits you should have received during the
time that your claim was being processed. If you have
been denied Social Security Disability benefits, call St.
Petersburg / Clearwater Lawyer Colleen Russo today to
schedule a free consultation.
Q: How long will I be able to receive
Social Security Disability benefits?
A: Once you are found to
be disabled by the Social Security Administration, your Social
Security Disability benefits will continue until
you return to work or until the Social Security Administration determines from a review
of your condition that you are no longer disabled.
Q: Is my disability severe enough to qualify me for
Social Security Disability benefits?
A: As a threshold matter,
the Social Security Administration will require you to show
that you are unable to work. However, a determination that
you are unable to work does not necessarily mean that the
Social Security Administration considers you to be
disabled. If your medical condition is not on the master
list of medical conditions, you will not automatically be
considered disabled. The Social Security Administration
will have to examine your condition to see if it is at the
same or greater level of severity as those conditions that
it considers to automatically qualify as disabilities.
Social Security
Disability Lawyer Colleen Russo has
significant experience in the reconsideration process. This
expertise enables her to present clients’ disabilities in the
most favorable light.
Q: How can your office help if I am
denied Social Security Disability benefits?
A: St. Petersburg /
Clearwater Attorney Colleen Russo can process and file
a reconsideration request for benefits. Many people who
apply for benefits, only to have their initial claim denied,
fail to seek a reconsideration of the decision. Failing to
file for a reconsideration request may be a grave mistake.
Statistics from the Social Security Administration
demonstrate that the vast majority of those who do appeal
their claim are ultimately successful in receiving
benefits. We won’t let an erroneous decision to deny you
benefits stand as the final word in whether you are eligible
for Social Security Disability payments. We can help you
seek out the benefits that you deserve. We
can also represent you at the third stage of the process,
which involves a hearing before an Administrative Law judge.
We are well familiar with the hearing process and will have
submitted all necessary medical records and documentation in
advance of the hearing for you.
Click Here to learn more about how
an experienced Social Security Disability Attorney can help
you increase your chances of obtaining disability benefits.
Q: What is the best way to start the process of
seeking Social Security Disability benefits?
A: You should contact our
office and schedule an appointment. The initial
consultation is free. We can fully evaluate your claim and
assist you in the process of obtaining a fully favorable
decision.
For other legal problems, we invite you to
visit our other websites:
St. Petersburg & Clearwater Auto
Accident and Personal Injury Attorney
St. Petersburg & Clearwater DUI and Criminal Defense
Lawyer
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