When an individual spends years of their life working hard and paying taxes, some of those taxes are paid into the Social Security system to fund the programs that are run by the Social Security Administration. One of the programs that the Social Security Administration runs is the Social Security Disability program. This program is intended to provide monthly benefit payments and insurance to disabled American workers. Unfortunately, many Americans do not realize how hard it can be to actually receive the benefits they are entitled to. In fact, nearly 70 percent of claimants are initially denied disability by the Social Security Administration each and every year. How can you increase your chances of receiving the disability benefits you need? If you live in the Fayetteville, Arkansas area, you should consider retaining the services of a qualified Fayetteville Social Security Disability attorney.
The economy of Fayetteville is primarily impacted by the medical, educational, government and utility sectors. The city’s top employers include the University of Arkansas, Veterans Administration Medical, Fayetteville School District, Arkansas Western Gas and Washington Regional Medical Center. The median household income for the city is close to $39,000 and the cost of living index is nine percent lower than the national average.
The city of Athens is home to more than 73,000 Arkansas residents. In the State of Arkansas, approximately four percent of the residents receive Social Security Disability benefits. The average payment amount made to these disabled workers is $1,054.70 per month. While this monthly disability payment can significantly offset some of the financial stress caused by an inability to work, the truth is that it will take the average Fayetteville resident Unfortunately, it will take a Fayetteville disability applicant more than a year to complete the disability claim process.
Why does it take so long for Fayetteville residents to complete a disability claim? The extensive processing times are due to the fact that the majority of disability claims are denied by the Social Security Administration during the initial stage of the application process. These denied applicants must then file an appeal in order to overturn the SSA's decision to deny their disability benefits. This appeal process will normally involve the scheduling of a disability hearing, which is handled by the local Social Security ODAR office. For Fayetteville Social Security Disability applicants, the local ODAR office is located in Fort Smith. It takes this office an average of 290 days just to schedule a disability hearing before an administrative law judge. This does not include the time it takes for an applicant to undergo the initial disability claim process or the reconsideration request stage of appeals.
Many Fayetteville disability applicants wonder if there is any way to avoid a lengthy and complicated disability appeal. One of the best ways to avoid the need for a disability appeal is to retain the services of a qualified Fayetteville Social Security Disability attorney during the initial stage of the application process. A Fayetteville Social Security attorney can help you prepare Social Security Disability application, ensuring that all of the necessary medical evidence has been gathered and that your application forms are filled out properly. This will ensure that your disability claim is presented to the Social Security Administration in the best light possible.
If, for some reason, your application for benefits is still denied, your Fayetteville Social Security lawyer will be able to represent you through each stage of your disability appeal. Most Social Security Disability appeals involve two stages including a Request for Reconsideration and a disability hearing before an administrative law judge. Unfortunately, most reconsideration requests are denied by the Social Security Administration, which is why a hearing before an administrative law judge is usually necessary in order to overturn the SSA's decision to deny disability benefits.
While a Social Security Disability applicant is allowed to represent themselves at their disability hearing, doing so is not necessarily in your best interests. The hearing process and laws involved with Social Security Disability claims can be complex and overwhelming. There are many laws in place that can affect an individual's Social Security Disability claim and those laws change frequently. Statistics show that disability applicants who are represented by a qualified attorney are more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who choose to represent themselves.
Many Fayetteville Social Security Disability applicants are worried that they will be unable to afford the legal representation that they need. The good news is that the services of a qualified Fayetteville disability attorney are very affordable. Disability lawyers work on a contingency basis, collecting twenty-five percent of the back payment that you are awarded by the Social Security Administration, up to a maximum amount of $6,000. If twenty-five percent of your back payment would exceed the $6,000 mark, your attorney will only receive $6,000 in compensation rather than the full twenty-five percent of your back payment award. If you do not win your disability case, your attorney does not collect a fee.
You can find out more about hiring a Fayetteville disability lawyer and can request a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case by clicking here.
