Social Security Disability

The Ohio law firm that does not take no for an answer

Social Security pays benefits to people who cannot work because they have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death.  A disability can be physical, mental, or emotional, or some combination.  The limitations that you experience because of your disabling conditions must render you unable to do your past job, or any other job, given your age and education.

The test for eligibility for Social Security Disability benefits is not whether you can go back to a job you have lost.  It is not whether you have been able to find a job recently.  The test is whether you are physically and/or emotionally capable of doing a job that is generally available in the national economy.  And often you must fight to get the Social Security disability benefits you deserve.

Social Security pays only for total disability.  Unlike workers' compensation, Social Security provides no benefits for partial or short-term disability.

To obtain Social Security Disability benefits, you must have objective medical evidence from doctors or psychologists.  Your doctor’s opinion should be supported by clinical and/or laboratory findings.  Unfortunately, many genuinely disabling conditions are difficult to diagnose by objective testing.  In cases like that, it is up to us to present your doctor’s reports properly and to convince the Social Security Administration that you deserve disability benefits.

Two types of Social Security Disability programs

Two programs under the Social Security Act provide benefits for persons unable to work.  The medical requirements for both programs are the same.  The non-medical requirements are different.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are paid to disabled individuals who have worked and paid into the Social Security system.  In general, an employee must have worked five out of the last ten years prior to the date of disability to be eligible for SSDI.  If approved, benefits are calculated based on how much was earned and paid into the Social Security system.  Benefits are also paid to minor children.  Additionally, eligibility for Medicare begins two years and five months after the date of disability began.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

The SSI program is needs-based and has income and resource limitations.  The claimant must have little or no income and few assets.  In general, a home, furniture, and a car are not counted as assets.

How to apply for Social Security Disability

You can call or visit your local Social Security office to file an application for Social Security Disability benefits.  You can also file an application online.  If your claim is denied, a series of appeals may follow, which include a request for reconsideration, a request for a hearing with an administrative law judge, and a review by the Appeals Council.  It is very common for claims to be denied at the initial levels, but your claim may be granted if appeals are carried forward.  Contact an experienced NRS attorney to help you win your benefits by gathering important and relevant medical evidence and presenting a compelling case at the hearing level.

No Reason to Settle for less

It's not just our initials, it's what we stand for: NRS.  If your application for Social Security disability was denied, let an NRS lawyer win your appeal.  For a free consultation, call us toll-free at 1.855.GOT.HURT (1.855.468.4878).  We help clients throughout the state of Ohio including the counties of—