In a 2011 report issued by the Social Security Administration, it was noted that disability payments were made to 9.8 million people, with over 900,000 disabled workers accounting for approximately 89% of all disability benefits that were paid that year (over $10.4 billion).
Due to the collectively-large financial figures involved, social security disability is one of the most difficult benefits for people with disabilities to obtain - with most applications being rejected the first time that they are received.
As you may imagine, the end result is that people that are genuinely eligible to receive these benefits often get discouraged by the rejection, and then simply give up trying.
It is important to note that there are a number of services that a knowledgeable attorney can provide to assist SSD recipients and to help them obtain the benefits that they need.
To find out more, please fill out the "Free Case Review" form to the right - it's FREE.
Types of Social Security Claims
There are four types of Social Security claims which have been created in an attempt to cater to the many diverse and unique situations that could benefit from disability payments.
These include:
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSDI benefits provide money to a person who has worked five of the ten past years, but has sustained an injury so severe that they are no longer capable of working.
- Disabled Widow’s and Widower’s Benefits. These types of benefits provide compensation to widows and widowers who have become disabled within an allotted amount of time after the death of their spouse.
- Disabled Adult Child Benefits. Disabled Adult Child benefits gives monetary support to children who have become disabled before the age of 22 and whose parents are deceased or are currently receiving Social Security benefits themselves.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI benefits are similar to SSDI benefits; however, instead of taking into account past work, SSI benefits are distributed based on the income of the claimant. SSI benefits are available to both disabled children and adults.
It is important to note that Social Security disability payments are paid upon a Social Security earnings record - it does NOT matter if the applicant is rich or poor.
Requirements to Receive Social Security Benefits
While each type of Social Security claim has its own criteria for eligibility, there are a few requirements necessary for anyone looking to pursue a Social Security claim.
- You must be unemployed when you file to receive benefits.
- You must be unable to work at your former job.
- You must be unable to perform ANY other available work.
- Your disability or impairment must be terminal or last for a minimum of 12 months.
- Your injury must meet the federal definition of “severe impairment.”
As with many government financial programs, even if an applicant meets all the criteria listed above, there is still a chance that your claim can be denied. Keeping that in mind, the attorneys at Greg Coleman Law are aware of the social security disability laws and can custom tailor their knowledge to suit most applications.
What Does It Cost To Hire An SSDI Attorney?
At our firm, we work on a contingency-only basis. What that means is that we only charge for our fees and services if we obtain a settlement or verdict for you.
If you are unsure if you have a case or not, and aren't sure if you should call - we also offer a 100% FREE initial case review. This allows our potential customers to provide the details about their application to our attorneys, who then review the details to determine if they are able to assist or not.
If so, we will then advise on the best way to move forward with proceedings.
Contact a Tennessee Social Security Lawyer
If you have worked all your life, whether in Tennessee or elsewhere, and are now unable to generate income due to an injury, you may be entitled to collect Social Security benefits. Benefits are often wrongfully reduced or denied, and the appeals process can be complicated and tedious.
At Greg Coleman Law, we believe that you have a right to financial assistance when a disability prevents you from working and are prepared to fight for your rights.
With our main office located in Knoxville, our social security disability attorney team are licensed to practice law across the entire state of Tennessee, where proudly serve the residents of Knox County and it's surrounding areas.
To find out more, please contact us on 1-800-HURT-NOW (1-800-487-8669) and a member from our team will collect some information about your case, and then quickly refer you to one of our attorneys - it's that easy.
If you would like to start immediately, simply fill out the "Free Case Review" form on this page - it's 100% FREE and we will be in contact with you shortly.
