We’ve all heard the stories about someone getting disability benefits “even though there is nothing wrong with him”. We have been dealing with the Social Security Disability process for years and we can tell you that these stories are almost always false.
The Social Security Disability process includes several layers of scrutiny to weed out individuals that do not have legitimate claims. The system is designed to make it extremely difficult for people to get approved for their disability benefits. This process involves analyzing the disabled individual’s medical records and, often, sending that person for examinations that are performed by doctors paid by the Social Security Administration. While these doctors are supposed to be impartial, their findings rarely help the person applying for Social Security Disability benefits. Often, these doctors contradict the disabled individual’s treating doctors despite the objective findings of those doctors.
Many people think that eliminating attorneys from the process would be good for the disability system. They see people applying for Social Security Disability benefits claimants and their attorneys as simply trying to “game” the system. However, people that try to navigate the disability process on their own are often turned down despite having serious, disabling medical conditions. I recently went to a hearing with a client who had suffered from Cerebral palsy since birth. In spite of that condition, my client had worked for many years. Finally the symptoms progressed to the point that my client was having extreme difficulty with balance. My client was unable to stand or walk for more than a few minutes without falling down, which placed my client at high risk for injury in the workplace. This individual applied for disability benefits and was turned down twice. After we were hired, we submitted evidence on our client’s behalf and presented the case at the hearing. We were successful in getting our client’s disability approved. If attorneys were eliminated from the process, a deserving individual like this would have nowhere to turn after being denied benefits.
The vast majority of people that come to us for help with their disability claim are hard working folks with injuries, diseases, or other conditions that have progressed to the point that they are not able to work anymore. Many of them have tried to work despite their limitations but have found they are not able to do the job. They have paid into the Social Security system for years, but now that they need it they have been denied benefits. The only hope they have is to get help from an attorney with the experience and knowledge to develop their case, submit the proper evidence and present their case at the hearing. At Perkins Studdard, we take pride in helping these individuals get the benefits they deserve. If you have any questions about Social Security Disability, please feel free to call us or complete the “Need Help” form on this page for a free consultation.
