Social Security Disability (SSD) Attorney Serving Detroit

You’ve worked hard all your life to provide for yourself and for your family. Your work is not just what you do; it’s part of who you are. When an injury or serious illness keeps you from working, you may wonder how you will continue to pay your bills. Fortunately, programs like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) exist for just this reason—to help hardworking people meet their expenses when a disability prevents them from doing the work they have always done.

Unfortunately, most Social Security Disability (SSD) claims are denied after an initial application. A Social Security Disability attorney can help you with the application process to maximize your chances of success, or offer guidance when you need to appeal a denial of benefits. To learn what a Social Security Disability attorney can do in your case, contact Bernstein & Bernstein today.

Qualifying for Social Security Disability

To get SSD benefits, you must have a qualifying disability. A disability must pass three tests:

• It must be severe, meaning it seriously limits your ability to do basic work physical activities like walking and lifting, or causes mental limitations like inability to remember or concentrate.
• It must be long-term, meaning the disability is expected to last for at least 12 months or to result in death.
• It must prevent you from working, both at work that you have done in the past and any other work for which your skills, education, and experience would qualify you.

You also must have enough “work credits” to qualify for benefits. Essentially, that means that you have to have worked and paid into Social Security for a certain period of time. The exact number of work credits you need depends on your age when you became disabled. The older you are, the more work credits you need. If you have worked at least part-time for several years, you may have enough work credits to qualify for SSD benefits.

How a Social Security Disability Attorney Helps

A Social Security Disability attorney may be able to help you get an approval of your application sooner or help you overcome an initial denial of your application for SSD benefits. There is no risk to you in working with a Social Security Disability attorney; we don’t get paid unless and until we get money for you. Here are some ways a Bernstein & Bernstein attorney can help your case:

When First Applying

• An attorney can review your medical, work, and financial records to be sure that you qualify for SSD benefits and help you explore other options, such as SSI, if you do not.
• An experienced attorney knows what evidence the Social Security Administration (SSA) needs to approve an application, and will gather and submit all required documentation to make your claim as strong as possible right from the start, including getting information right from your medical providers.
• An attorney will avoid common mistakes such as incomplete paperwork that cause many applications to be denied.

If Your Claim Has Been Denied

• Your Social Security Disability attorney can file for reconsideration within the required time, addressing the reasons for the denial with additional evidence or information.
• An attorney can help with an appeal before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) if needed, including gathering additional evidence, preparing you for the hearing, and representing you during the hearing.
• An attorney can challenge the opinions of any expert witnesses the government calls to support their denial.
• If needed, your SSD attorney can file further appeals.

Your attorney has the experience, knowledge and skill to fight for you at a time when you are hurting and may not be in a position to fight for the benefits you deserve—and you pay no attorney fees unless we win. At Bernstein & Bernstein, you will work only with a Social Security Disability attorney who has over 20 years of experience. You can count on your attorney to know the system and how best to work for you.