How To Apply For Social Security Disability In Georgia

Applying For Disability In Georgia

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Whats The Process For Filing For Social Security Benefits In Georgia

After determining your eligibility for an SSD benefit, you need to know how to file for disability. Even though Social Security is a federal administrative program, your verdict will be determined by the relevant state agency. In Georgia, this will be determined through the Disability Adjudication Services .

Here are some important things to know about the disability adjudication process:

It is important to have a grasp of the 4-step disability adjudication process. This way, you can begin to understand how the SSA makes its decision in your claim, as well as how to approach your claim moving forward. Of course, each step listed below can raise questions that can get complicated, particularly as it relates to those clients who are currently working, which is why its important to consult with a disability attorney near you.

The Disability Application Process

Whether you apply online, by phone, or in person, the disability benefits application process follows these general steps:

• You gather the information and documents you need to apply. We recommend you print and review the . It will help you gather the information you need to complete the application.
• You complete and submit your application.
• We review your application to make sure you meet some for disability benefits.
• We check whether you worked enough years to qualify.
• We evaluate any current work activities.
• We process your application and forward your case to the Disability Determination Services office in your state.
• This State agency makes the disability determination decision.

To learn more about who decides if you are disabled, read our publication .

Once You’ve Applied

Once we receive your application, well review it and contact you if we have questions. We might request additional documents from you before we can proceed

Look For Our Response

Youll receive a letter in the mail with our decision. If you included information about other family members when you applied, well let you know if they may be able to receive benefits on your record.

Check The Status

You can check the status of your application online using your personal mySocial Security account. If you are unable to check your status online, you can call us 1-800-772-1213 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Appeal A Decision

• Reconsideration.

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If Your Claim Is Denied There Are Several Steps To Take To Pursue Your Claim:

• File for Reconsideration
• Appeal Hearing Decision
• File Suit in Federal Court

Once youre approved, your first Social Security Disability benefit will be paid to you beginning at the sixth full month following the date of your application.

Finally, every several years, an investigator with the SSA will review your case to establish continued disability.

When to retain a disability lawyer: If you are not already working with a disability lawyer, we recommend seeking legal help from a disability lawyer as soon as you receive notice that your claim was rejected. Youll want to file for reconsideration as soon as possible, because of case backlog within the SSA.

Attorneys in Social Security Disability cases do much more than sit in at a hearing and ask a few questions. Much pre-hearing preparation, analysis and evidence gathering go into adequate representation for your case. For this reason you should not wait until a week or two before your hearing to contact an Attorney. The earlier an Attorney is able to start working on your case, the better your chances of winning.

If you live in Georgia, contact the Social Security Lawyer at the Strom Law Firm today at 912-264-6465, for a free consultation to discuss the facts surrounding your claim for social security benefits.

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Applying For Disability: Ssi And Ssdi

Did you know that you can submit an initial application for disability benefits on the internet, over the phone, or in person at a local Social Security Administration office?

Assuming you filed everything correctly and the SSA can easily gather your medical records, you should receive a decision within five months. If you make a mistake on the application, or your application gets lost in the masses, you may need to wait a year or more to hear back from the SSA regarding the decision of your application.

If the SSA approves your claim, your benefits should begin within a few months. If you waited for more than five months to get approved, you will be awarded back pay on top of your monthly benefits.

Back pay is a lump sum of the total amount of monthly benefits you should have received had your application been processed in a timely fashion. Additionally, if you waited to apply for disability benefits but were too ill to work, you could be entitled to additional past-due benefits known as retroactive payments. Depending on how long you wait to be approved, you could be entitled to a five-figure back pay settlement.

But what do you do if your claim is denied? Fortunately, you dont have to give up. The SSA has a thorough appeals process available for the qualified applicants whove slipped through the cracks.

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Apply To The New Option Waiver Program And Comprehensive Support Waiver Program

These Medicaid waiver programs support eligible Georgians with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities

A Medicaid waiver is money that may be used to pay for services for a person with intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities. These services can take place in the persons home or in the community.

NOW and COMP are for eligible people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities who require an intermediate care facility.

NOW offers services and support to enable individuals to remain living on their own or in their family home and participate in the community.

COMP serves individuals with more intensive needs, primarily those with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities who require residential care.

How Work Credits Work

You must have a certain number of work credits to qualify for the work portion of SSD. For most people, the minimum work credits are 40 overall with 20 being earned within the last 10 years before you became disabled. If you are a younger worker, you may be able to qualify with fewer credits.

The way credits are earned has changed throughout the years but currently, you can earn up to four credits per year if youre working and paying Social Security taxes. If youve worked a significant portion of your lifetime, chances are good that youve earned enough credits to meet the minimum for benefits.

If you dont have enough work credits, you probably wont qualify for benefits. However, you can earn more if you return to work at any time. Your work credits stay on your record.

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Find Out About Georgia’s State Supplemental Payments Plus How To Appeal A Denial Of Social Security Disability Or Ssi And Whether You Qualify For Medicaid

By Bethany K. Laurence, Attorney

Georgia residents can apply for disability benefits through their local Social Security Administration field office. The Social Security Administration has manages two programs to provide disability payments to those who have been disabled and are no longer able to support themselves and their families: Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income . The State of Georgia does not offer short-term disability benefits.

When To Hire A Georgia Disability Lawyer

Over the years, we have found that many folks have little to know understanding of the disability process. Many believe that being diagnosed with a condition that sounds horrible means they are automatically disabled. And many individuals know that they feel horrible most days, which should be enough to be found disabled.

Unfortunately, this feeling is never quite enough. Instead, the disability application process can be grueling and unnecessarily imbalanced against those seeking benefits. Much of the imbalance stems from agency rules that require evidentiary showings that can be unduly burdensome. This is particularly true when considering the changes made in the Listing of Impairments over the last decade, as well as the changes made in the domains relevant to childhood disability.

And as you may already know, medical record-keeping leaves much to be desired. Treating physicians and caregivers are often not diligent in accurately noting a patients specific complaints in their charts. Another obstacle in this regard since the shift from handwritten notes to software-managed electronic files is the repeated boilerplate charts that see very little revision of patient complaints and clinical findings over time.

Contact us today for your free consultation.

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Knowledgeable Handling Of The Social Security Application Process

Completing an initial application is the first step toward obtaining Social Security Disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income . The application process can be exhausting. Yet putting your best foot forward at the outset with a strong initial application can simplify the process in the long run.

Cost Of Getting Medical Records

When you apply for disability, you need to provide medical records that support your application. Georgia has placed a limit on the amount you can be charged for copies of your medical records. The first 20 pages can be charged at $0.75 with pages 21 to 100 being charged at $0.65. For every page over 100, you can be charged $0.50. The medical provider can also charge a $20 preparation fee as well as a $7.50 fee to certify the records.

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Things To See And Do In State College Georgia

In the unfortunate case of a disability, you will need to enter your social security disability claim. For you to qualify for a disability claim, you need proof to show that your impairment will last for at least a year, or result in death. In some cases, your ailment may not be on the list of approved impairments and disabilities. If this is the case, then you will need to provide medical evidence. The justification should show that the illness or injury is severe and debilitating.

Social Security Field Offices

There are 33 Social Security field offices in Georgia, which are served by either the Atlanta, Atlanta North, Chattanooga, Covington, Macon, Savannah, or Tallahassee OHO locations. Call the SSA at 800-325-0778 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to get contact information for your closest field office or use Social Security’s field office locator.

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Qualifications For Social Security Disability In Georgia

All applications go through the Social Security Administration. To qualify for SSD benefits, you need to meet the following criteria:

• Worked in a job that paid into Social Security taxes for a certain length of time
• Have a medical condition that the SSA considers a disability
• Unable to work because of that medical condition, which is expected to last 12 months or more

Find Out About Georgias State Supplemental Payments Plus How To Appeal A Denial Of Social Security Disability Or Ssi And Whether You Qualify For Medicaid

By Bethany K. Laurence, Attorney

Georgia residents can apply for disability benefits through their local Social Security Administration field office. The Social Security Administration has manages two programs to provide disability payments to those who have been disabled and are no longer able to support themselves and their families: Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income . The State of Georgia does not offer short-term disability benefits.

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Turn To An Experienced Atlanta Attorney To Guide You Through The Process

You’ve worked for many years and paid into Social Security. Chances are you never expected to become disabled, but one day you realize you can no longer work. Unfortunately, the government is not making it easy for you. Many applications for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits are often turned down.

At Gary Martin Hays & Associates, our lawyers understand what you are going through. We also know how to deal with the Social Security Administration bureaucracy for our clients. If you were denied Social Security benefits, or need assistance with an SSDI case, contact an experienced Social Security disability lawyer serving Georgia. Call 1-800-898-HAYS today for a free consultation.

Appeal Hearings In Georgia

When an applicant needs to appeal a denial for disability benefits, he or she will need to file a request for a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge . There are currently 59 AlJs who go to disability hearings throughout Georgia’s 6 hearing offices. The chances of approval in Georgia are slightly higher than the national average. Below are statistics about Georgia’s hearing offices.

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How To Replace Disability Placards In Georgia

A Georgia disability car sticker replacement is necessary when disabled motorists are facing a lost, stolen or mutilated placard. In such situations, the DMV usually requires drivers to perform a replacement procedure and get new placards. However, motorists who want to find out how to replace a handicap placard in Georgia are required to contact the GA DOR and learn more information about the replacement procedure.

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Contact Our Attorneys Today If You Need Help With Your Social Security Disability Application

Many Social Security Disability applicants get their first application denied. At John Foy & Associates, our Social Security Disability lawyers can help you strengthen your application and/or appeal a denial. We can also help you determine if you qualify and make sure your application continues all of the required information.

Dont consider a denied application to be the end of the road. You have options. For a FREE consultation to go over your application, call us today at or fill out the form on this page to get started today.

Call or text or complete a Free Case Evaluation form

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What Do I Need To Know About Advance Designation

You should be aware of another type of representation called Advance Designation. This relates to the Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2018, which was signed into law on April 13, 2018.

Advance Designation allows capable adult and emancipated minor applicants and beneficiaries of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Special Veterans Benefits to choose one or more individuals to serve as their representative payee in the future, if the need arises.

To help protect whats important to you, we now offer the option to choose a representative payee in advance. In the event that you can no longer make your own decisions, you and your family will have peace of mind knowing you already chose someone you trust to manage your benefits. If you need a representative payee to assist with the management of your benefits, we will first consider your advance designees, but we must still fully evaluate them and determine their suitability at that time.

You can submit your advance designation request when you apply for benefits or after you are already receiving benefits. You may do so through your personal account, by telephone, or in person.

Get Legal Advice From An Experienced Ssi And Ssdi Lawyer

Practicing law since 1988, our attorney Ellene Welsh has secured disability payments for numerous individuals in Georgia. She knows what documentation is necessary to present in an appeal, will represent you at any hearings and can answer all your questions about your case. Rest assured, she will remain by your side each step of the way.

To arrange a complimentary initial consultation, contact us. We look forward to working with you and pursuing the SSDI or SSI benefits you deserve. We handle SSDI and SSI cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you owe us no attorney fees until we secure benefits for you.

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Proving Your Claim Means Getting The Right Medical Evidencelocal Attorneys Can Help

For VA disability claims, you must prove that you are at least as likely as not to have a service-linked disability. That means you must show there is at least a 50% chance or more that you are disabled in connection to your service.

While this is much less stringent than other types of benefits programs that require overwhelming evidence of severe disabilities, you may still be denied or receive a disability rating that is too low if your evidence is insufficient.

Evidence youll need to prove your claim includes:

• Service records such as DD214s or service treatment records
• Medical evidence proving your condition
• Potential exams by VA or other doctors
• A nexus letter from a doctor detailing the nature of your disability and its connection to your service

A Nexus letter must meet the VAs standards in detailing the necessary proof that your condition qualifies you for benefits. A doctor who is inexperienced with working with VA disability claimants may not be as familiar with the VAs expectations in terms of the burden of proof for your condition.

However, a local attorney with experience assisting veterans with their claims will understand the VAs expectations and be familiar with local physicians who can help. Some doctors may have more experience than others with working with VA disability patients and serving as medical expert witnesses. A Georgia VA disability attorney will be able to connect you with doctors with direct VA disability experience.