Video Transcript
Hello, I’m attorney David Hood and I’ve been practicing law across South Carolina for over 30 years. One of our areas of focus is Social Security Disability. We frequently get questions from potential clients and clients about why the process is so difficult. We’re going to tackle some of those questions right now.
When do I need a lawyer?
First of all, at what point do I need a lawyer?
In the initial application phase about 1/3 of the people are approved. In the next phase, it’s about 10%. So, you really may not need a lawyer until you’ve been turned down twice and are requesting a hearing. Up until then, you have about a 40% chance of getting approved, and if you do it yourself there aren’t going to be any attorney fees.
Who typically gets approved?
The next big issue is who typically gets approved?
Well, if you have a terminal illness, you should get it. It also helps to have a solid work history. Age, education, and the kind of jobs you did are very important factors. For instance, if you’re 59-years-old it’s easier to qualify than if you’re 49. If you have a PhD it’s harder to get than if you’re a high school graduate – that’s because the Social Security Administration looks at things like whether your life’s work involved heavy labor or, like me, a desk job. So, they’re looking to see if you can do your old job and how hard it would be to retrain you for other jobs.
Medical Evidence
Medical evidence is key to your case. It’s important to have medical providers who support you and believe you’re disabled. You might also meet a listing, which is a disease that the Social Security Administration recognizes as potentially disabling. These are things like rheumatoid arthritis and depression. However, it’s critical to be able to show that you’ve complied with all recommended treatment and still can’t work. It’s also important to make sure that the Social Security Administration knows about anything and everything that might affect your ability to work.
Good luck, I hope this was helpful.
