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When you go to work each day, your mind is on the tasks at hand and the career path you’re pursuing. The thought that you may someday be unable to continue working never crosses your mind – until that far-off possibility becomes a difficult reality.
If you’re facing an injury, illness, or mental or physical condition that prevents you from working, don’t wait. The longer you delay filing for Social Security disability benefits, the more difficulty you could encounter and the longer you will have to wait for benefits you deserve. Instead, contact the experienced and compassionate Oklahoma Social Security Disability attorneys at the office of Edwards & Patterson Law in Tulsa and McAlester OK as soon as possible.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) estimates that three in every 10 working Americans will become too disabled to work before they reach retirement age. For many disabled workers, Oklahoma SSD Benefits or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides a vital source of support.
Why Do You Need to Hire a Tulsa Social Security Disability Lawyer?
The stronger your initial application for benefits is, the more likely it is to be granted quickly. Although the Social Security Administration will allow you to file your own claim without a lawyer’s help, working with an experienced lawyer can:
Make the process easier.
Build a stronger claim on your behalf.
Avoid common errors.
Help shorten the time between your initial filing and the date your claim is accepted.
If your initial claim is denied, a lawyer can investigate closely to determine why the denial was made and provide the information needed to show that the denial should not have happened.
Experience matters when choosing a disability lawyer. At Edwards & Patterson Law, we’ve helped clients throughout Oklahoma and Arkansas apply for and receive the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits they need to keep their households running and obtain needed medical care so they can live the best life possible. We’re ready to help – and because we work on a contingency basis, you won’t pay attorney’s fees unless we secure benefits for you.
How Are SSDI Versus SSI Benefits Different?
Workers whose disabilities prevent them from continuing to work may be eligible for two different types of benefits: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD or SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
- SSDI benefits are available to qualifying workers (or certain family members who can qualify based on a parent or spouse’s work record) whose disability will prevent them from working for at least one year or will result in death. The program is funded by Social Security payroll taxes and is not means-tested. There are certain work history requirements for eligibility. In other words, it doesn’t matter how much money and things you have, but you must have worked enough to qualify for SSDI.
- SSI benefits are available to qualifying individuals, including elderly persons and some individuals with disabilities, if their other income falls below certain federal guidelines. The program is managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) but funded from the U.S. Treasury and is means-tested. There are no work history requirements for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. In other words, it doesn’t matter how much or little you’ve worked, but you can’t have too much money or things to qualify for SSI.
Both benefits programs are run by the Social Security Administration, but they are separate programs. It is possible to qualify for one program but not the other. For instance, if you are disabled and have savings or assets like real estate, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI benefits) but not for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). If you have little work history, you may still qualify for SSI. Some individuals do qualify for both.
Have worked recently enough to qualify for benefits. For instance, if you are over age 30, you will need to have worked for five of the previous 10 years, ending with the quarter in which your disability began.
Have worked long enough to qualify for benefits. Workers earn one “credit” for every quarter in which they meet Social Security’s minimum earnings (and pay into Social Security via payroll or self-employment taxes). You must earn sufficient credits, based on age, to qualify.
Be able to qualify based on the work record of a parent, spouse, or former spouse. Children and young adults disabled before age 22, spouses, and former spouses who were married at least 10 years may be able to qualify for benefits based on another family member’s work record, if they cannot qualify based on their own work record.
The first step after an initial denial is 
If your claim is denied after reconsideration, you may request a 
If the ALJ chooses to deny your claim after the hearing, you may request a review of your file by the Appeals Council. Unlike the previous stages, you will not generally be asked to submit new information at this stage. Instead, the Appeals Council looks for mistakes that may have been made in reconsideration or the hearing that led to the denial of your claim.
