In order to be awarded Social Security disability benefits, you must prove that you meet Social Security’s strict definition of “disabled.” Simply put, you must prove that you have a physical or mental impairment that is so severe it renders you unable to work. As with most aspects of Social Security disability, however, proving you are disabled is not that simple. Our experienced San Diego disability lawyers can help with your disability claim preparation.
Social Security Disability Program: Rules and Regulations
The Social Security disability program is governed by complicated rules and regulations. To understand these rules and regulations, you need to speak the language of the Social Security Administration. For example, you may know from your daily experience that your impairments that prevent you from working; the legal issue, however, is whether your condition is “severe” enough to prevent you from “working,” as defined by Social Security. To answer this question, the decision-maker will consider whether you are able to do “past relevant” work, and will evaluate your “residual functional capacity” for other types of work. The decision-maker will consider whether you are capable of “light” work or ”sedentary” work, and evaluate how the Medical-Vocational Guidelines (the “Grids”) apply to your claim. You may, in fact, be “disabled,” as defined by Social Security, but if you cannot prove your disability under the law, then your claim for benefits will be denied. That is where we come in.
We Help with Social Security Disability Claims
Our experienced San Diego disability lawyers speak the language of the Social Security Administration. We can help you present your best legal argument for an award of benefits by:
- Developing a strategy that focuses your claim for benefits on the legal issues that will be important to the Social Security decision-maker;
- Gathering available evidence to support that strategy, including your medical treatment records and your employment records;
- Filling any holes in your medical record by, e.g., arranging for you to be examined by a specialist or obtaining a written medical opinion from your treating doctor;
- Submitting a written summary of the evidence, with a detailed explanation of how the evidence fits within the framework of the law;
- Preparing you and your witnesses to testify at your administrative hearing;
- Attending the hearing to protect your interests and ensure that you present all the evidence in support of your case; and
- Making a closing statement at your disability hearing that offers a succinct summary of why, given the facts of your case, the law demands that you be awarded benefits.
Contact the California Disability Lawyers at the San Diego Disability Law Group
If you do not have a working knowledge of the key terms, rules and regulations governing Social Security disability, then you cannot present your strongest claim for an award of benefits. Our knowledgeable Social Security disability attorneys can help. We handle claims for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, from the initial application through appeals to the Appeals Council. If you would like to discuss your case with an experienced San Diego disability lawyer, please contact us. Use the Free Claim Evaluation form on this page to tell us about your situation or call our office directly.
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