Illinois Social Security Disability Attorneys
Our Law Services
Are you applying for SSD benefits for the first time? Consider the experienced social security disability lawyers at Good Law Group for your representation. Contact us online for a free case evaluation or call (847) 577-4476.
First Time SSD Applicants
Applying for Disability Benefits? Let us Help
The Social Security Disability process can seem overwhelming, especially if you are trying to navigate the system while you are ill or injured and worrying about how your family will survive without your income. Submitting an application without the proper supporting documentation or other mistakes can lead to a denial of your claim. In fact, 65% of initial applications are denied, as are 91% of applications submitted for reconsideration (the first-level appeal).
With two-thirds of all first-time applications for SSD denied, it is important that your SSD application be complete and accurate from the get-go. Denial of your application means a delay in receiving vital benefits for you and your family as you go through the lengthy appeals process. Our attorneys handle only SSD cases, so we know what information is most likely to result in your application being approved. Hiring an attorney before you file your SSD application can significantly increase your chances of approval, which means you can stop worrying about your finances, and instead focus on your health.
Request for Reconsideration
Don’t give up if your initial application is denied for Social Security Disability Benefits
The next step in seeking SSD benefits if you are denied during the initial application process is to file an appeal of the decision. The first step in the appeals process is called a request for reconsideration. The disability reconsideration review will be assigned to a disability review examiner from the Disability Determination Services (DDS) office to handle your review. Keep in mind that this examiner will probably not have been involved in your initial SSD application process.
You will need to send a notice of intent to the SSA to appeal your benefits within 60 days of receiving your denial as the first step in the process. You need to know that most claims are denied during the reconsideration review.
The Good Law Group can help you with this step of the appeals process.
Social Security Disability Hearings
Every year around 53 percent of all applications for Social Security Disability benefits are denied according to a report from the Social Security Administration (SSA). When a person in Illinois receives a notice, informing them that they have been found ineligible for SSD benefits, the person is also informed that they have the right to appeal that decision.
Applicants have a limited amount of time to file their appeal, which is heard by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in what is called a hearing. Due to the high number of appeals, it is important to understand that a SSD case can take up to a year or longer before it is heard.
During that time applicants can improve their chances for approval by preparing for the hearing. The Good Law group is experienced in ensuring that clients are will represented during their hearings and also that they are well informed as to what will occur during their hearings.
Appeal Before the Appeals Council
When a Social Security disability claimant’s application is denied after the initial review, there are a number of steps the claimant can make to appeal the denial and continue pursuing disability benefits. The first step is to request a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). If the claimant’s appeal is denied again at the ALJ stage, he or she can move forward by appealing the denial to the Appeals Council.
The Appeals Council looks at all requests it receives, but it may deny your request for review if it believes that the decision of the ALJ was correct. If the Appeals Council grants your request for review, it may choose to decide the case itself or send it back to a different ALJ for a second disability hearing.
As with other levels of review, you may provide updated information detailing your disability and its negative impact on your ability to work. This is best done with a law firm who is experienced in Social Security Disability Benefits. The Good Law Group is experienced in all levels of the appeals process.
Appeal in Federal Court
Appealing a denial of Social Security Disability (SSD) can be a long and stressful process. There are many levels of the appeals process and after experiencing multiple denials, applicants may feel like they are out of options. However, the last step in the appeals process is the level where most disability applicants are ultimately awarded benefits. Before giving up on your case, consider appealing your denial to a Federal District Court.
Once you receive a denial from the Appeals Council, you have 60 days to appeal the decision in Federal Court. Due to federal law, the case will not be able to be brought against the Social Security Administration (SSA). Instead, the lawsuit will be filed against the current Social Security Commissioner. Applicants can either file a Complaint themselves or hire an experienced SSD attorney to help them with their case. Consider the Good Law Group for representation of your case in Federal Court.
Benefits You Receive When You Get Social Security Disability Insurance
There are 4 great SSDI benefits, and our video explains each one, hopefully in an easily-understandable way.
7 Things First Time Applicants For SSDI Benefits Should Know
Applying for Social Security disability benefits (SSDI) can be daunting. Not only is there an application to submit and medical documentation to collect, trying to understand the SSDI terminology can make you feel as though you’re reading a foreign language. All this while you worry about how you will support yourself and your family, now that your disability has made you unable to work. To help, we’ve created a list of the top seven things you should know before applying for SSDI benefits.
1. You can apply for benefits as soon as you become disabled. Many people mistakenly believe they must wait 12 months from the date their disability began before applying for SSDI benefits. But you can actually apply for SSDI benefits as soon as you become disabled.
The confusion lies in the fact that SSDI benefits are only paid for total disability expected to last more than 12 months. As long as your medical documentation supports your disability lasting more than 12 months, you can apply once you are no longer able to engage in substantial gainful activity.
2. You need medical documentation of your disability. Eligibility for SSDI benefits is based on your disability, so your application must include proof of disability. But you will need more than a doctor’s note stating, “The applicant is disabled.” The Social Security Administration (SSA) has very specific criteria that covers not only the type and severity of injury or illness that qualifies as disability, but the specific type of medical documentation required to substantiate each of these disabling conditions as well.
3. You must have worked enough quarters to qualify for benefits. Because SSDI is funded through the payment of Social Security taxes by employees, applicants must have worked a certain number of quarters, within a specified time period, in order to receive benefits. This is in addition to meeting the disability requirement. Known as the “recent work” and “duration of work” tests, the number of quarters an applicant must have worked in order to be eligible for benefits depends on the applicant’s age at the time he became disabled and how long he had been employed on the date of disability.
4. There are no income or resource limits. Eligibility for SSDI is based solely on an applicant’s disability and whether he has worked enough quarters. It is not based on the applicant’s income or resources falling below a certain limit; these limits apply only to the receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
5. Your application will most likely be denied. The most recent estimate is that 64% of individuals who apply for SSD benefits will be denied during the initial review. But a denial can be appealed, and the chance that your application will be approved actually increases, with 74% of all applications scheduled for a hearing being approved by the hearing officer.
6. You can increase your chances of approval by being prepared. The SSA does not require that SSDI applicants have an interview with a disability examiner (the person who evaluates your claim). So the only information the disability examiner will have to go on when deciding whether to approve your application is the information you provide.
To increase the chance that your claim will be approved at the initial review, it is important to be prepared before submitting your application. This includes writing down all of the information regarding your medical history as it relates to your disability, including dates, provider names, medical procedures and tests performed, along with how the disability negatively impacts your activities of daily living (ADL) and job performance. You should also detail your work history for the past 15 years to help the SSA determine if you have worked enough quarters to qualify for SSDI benefits.
7. You can hire an attorney to assist you during any part of the process. There is no requirement that you hire an attorney to help you apply for SSDI benefits, or that you have legal representation during any phase of the appeal process. But your chances of approval greatly increase if you hire an experienced social security disability lawyer. An experienced SSDI attorney who focuses solely on SSDI claims understands the process and can make sure you provide the SSA with all the information necessary to substantiate your disability claim.
Most SSDI attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means that you don’t pay unless your claim is approved. Even then, the SSA limits the amount an SSDI attorney can recover to 25% of the applicant’s retroactive benefits, up to a maximum of $6,000.
Disability Law FAQ | Helpful Articles and Videos
What Are Your Chances of Winning an SSDI Benefits Case | Video
Are you prepared for the complexities of a Social Security Disability appeal? With only 39% of initial claims approved, many people face frustration and uncertainty. But here’s the good news: with the right legal strategy, your odds can improve dramatically at hearings or even in federal court, where approval rates jump to 61%. Want to know how you can increase your chances of winning? Watch this video, be prepared to take the next step, and make your case count.
How Cancer Survivors Can Qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits
Did you know that for many cancer survivors, the fight doesn't end when treatment does? Managing the Social Security disability benefits can be challenging. Often, these benefits are granted for just one year, even when debilitating side effects — like neuropathy, memory loss, and lymphedema — continue to impact daily life. Why lose out on the support you deserve? Simplify the complexities and see if you might qualify for ongoing benefits. Curious to learn more? Watch this video.
Filling Out the Work History Form? Avoid These 3 Common Pitfalls | Video
Applying for Social Security Disability? Understanding the new work history rules is crucial, especially if you’re over 50. Here is what you need to know about standing, walking, sitting, and lifting requirements. Don't let simple mistakes weaken your case - learn the right way to fill out the form. To get started, watch this video and protect your claim.
