Individuals who suffer from serious injury or illness often have a very difficult time maintaining employment and earning a living. If you are a disabled resident of Hialeah, there are a number of local Social Security Disability attorneys and advocates who can help you get the benefits you need. In fact, as of September 2012, Miami-Dade County was home to 46,555 SSDI recipients and 83,104 SSI recipients.
To begin the process of applying for disability benefits, there are several things you should do to prepare yourself. First, it is important that you research the two benefit programs and the different steps of the application process. Having a basic knowledge of the system will help you make informed decisions and go about the application process correctly.
To learn about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) visit the following page: Social Security Programs.
Any other questions you have about disability benefits can be answered by an SSA representative at your local Social Security field office. The contact information for the office nearest you is listed below:
6500 W 21 Court
Hialeah, FL 33016
Telephone: 1-800-772-1213
Hiring a Hialeah Disability Attorney
The second thing you can do to ensure that your claim is successful, is to hire a Hialeah Social Security Disability lawyer. A legal professional will know the ins and outs of the Social Security Disability system and will understand how to present your claim in the best possible light. He or she will be able to help you collect and fill out the necessary documents. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of hiring an attorney or advocate, click here.
Also note that a Hialeah Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Monroe County, and Collier County: Miami, Gladesview, Brownsville, West Little River, Doral, Virginia Gardens, Fountainbleua, Miramar, Country Club, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Cooper City, Davie, and Lake Lucerne.
For more information about the attorneys or advocates in your area, contact one of the following bar associations:
Dade County Bar Association
123 NW First Avenue, Suite 214
Miami, Florida 33128
Federal Bar Association (Southern Florida Chapter)
President Bernard Pastor
Miami-Dade County Attorney's Office
111 NW 1st St Ste 2810
Miami, Florida 33128
Miami Beach Bar Association
President Carol J. Breece
799 Brickell Plaza Suite 606
Miami, Florida 33131
Hialeah Disability Hearings
Although an applicant is not required to hire an attorney at any stage of the application process, we strongly suggest that if you don’t already have an attorney, you should hire one if your initial application is denied. The appeals process can be lengthy and complicated and a legal professional will be able to increase your chances of approval.
For those who are not familiar with the Social Security Disability appeals process, it typically requires that the applicant appear in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to appeal the SSA’s initial decision. This often takes place in an Office of Disability Adjudication and Review—or ODAR. Because Hialeah does not currently have an ODAR, Hialeah residents often attend hearings in the Miami hearing office instead.
For applicants currently appealing a denial or applicants that may have to appeal a denial in the future, the following information may be helpful for you and your attorney:
Please note that the following statistics apply to the months between September 2012 and June 2013.
- The Miami ODAR scheduled a total of 3,372 appeal hearings in the given time period.
- Of these 3,372 appeal hearings, 74.11% were resolved—meaning they were either approved, partially approved, or denied.
- The Miami ODAR currently has 13 Administrative Law Judges.
- Each of these judges handled an average of 1.4 dispositions each day during the given time period.
- As a whole, the Miami hearing office handled an average of 18.2 dispositions each day during the given time period.
- 97.28% of the Miami appeal hearings were held in person. The remaining claims were conducted using video conferencing technology.
- In June, 2013 the Miami ODAR had a total of 8,325 pending cases and a 473 day wait.
Congressional Intervention
If you find, that after scheduling your appeal hearing, financial or medical circumstances make it impossible for you to wait until your given hearing date; you may want to contact your local congressperson. He or she can contact the Miami ODAR and ask to expedite your claim if they feel it is appropriate.
For more on qualifying for disability benefits in Florida, see How To Qualify For Disability In Florida.
Fill out the following form for a free legal evaluation with a Hialeah lawyer or advocate:
