Livingston Parish SSDI Lawyer
If you or a loved one have been injured and are unable to work, you may be entitled to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits under federal law. However, you must meet a complex set of earnings and medical criteria to qualify for benefits. A Livingston Parish SSDI lawyer can evaluate your situation and help you seek Social Security benefits.
Generally, if you have worked and paid Social Security taxes for a certain period, you will be entitled to draw SSDI benefits when you become disabled. Establishing the fact that you are disabled and unable to work, however, can be challenging. Getting the advice of a personal injury attorney can be crucial to your ability to establish a valid claim for benefits.
Listing of Impairments for SSDI Eligibility
The Social Security Administration maintains a Listing of Impairments (LOI), which is a list of certain medical conditions that result in eligibility for SSDI benefits. A subsection of the LOI is the Compassionate Allowance program. This list contains over 200 diseases, illnesses, and medical conditions that typically result in eligibility for SSDI benefits, such as acute leukemia and inoperable breast cancer.
Individuals who do not have a medical impairment that is part of the Compassionate Allowance program must establish eligibility for SSDI benefits by providing evidence that they have one or more of the other debilitating illnesses or medical conditions listed in the LOI. Individuals typically establish proof of one of these conditions through the provision of medical records and test results.
One essential element to establishing medical eligibility for SSDI benefits is proving the projected longevity of the illness, injury, or medical condition. SSDI benefits only are available for impairments that medical professionals anticipate will last at least 12 months or result in death. A knowledgeable Livingston Parish SSDI lawyer can illustrate an individual’s medical conditions to help them recover Social Security benefits.
Proof of Work Limitations
In addition to establishing that individuals have sufficiently severe medical conditions to justify SSDI benefits eligibility, they must provide evidence that their impairments significantly limit their ability to work. This evidence typically consists of medical records or diagnostic proof that their medical conditions may it impossible to complete regular work-related physical tasks or activities, such as walking, standing, pushing, pulling, and carrying, among others. Another component of work-related skills deals with cognitive limitations, such as speaking, listening, understanding and following instructions, seeing, hearing, feeling, and working with others.
Ultimately, individuals must prove not only that their medical conditions not only limit or prohibit them from performing their regular work duties, but also that they cannot perform any other type of substantial gainful activity based on their age, experience, and education. In other words, individuals must be unable to do the work that they have performed in the past but also unable to do any other work in the future.
During the evaluation process, SSA may require individuals to undergo an independent medical examination or IME. In this situation, individuals must attend an exam and perhaps testing performed by a doctor that SSA has contracted to evaluate individuals seeking SSDI benefits. As a seasoned Livingston Parish SSDI attorney may advise, individuals must comply with the IME or risk denial of benefits for failure to cooperate.
Work with a Livingston Parish SSDI Attorney Today
The application process for SSDI benefits can be lengthy and complicated. Even worse, many individuals who apply for SSDI benefits receive an initial denial of their claims, which can be stressful and frustrating. Intervention by a Livingston Parish SSDI lawyer may be necessary to fight back against the denial of Social security benefits.
With legal assistance, you may place yourself in a better position to build a strong claim for SSDI benefits. If an appeal becomes necessary, legal advice and guidance can help you obtain a successful result as quickly as possible. Schedule a consultation today.