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Heard & Smith's
social security disability attorneys have been
helping clients obtain Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for over twenty-five
years. Under these Social Security programs, individuals receive
monthly checks and medical benefits. If you are not working because of
an illness, an injury or emotional problems, you may be eligible to
receive SSDI or SSI benefits. Our lawyers can aid in your appeal if
you have been denied benefits.
This website is
designed to provide useful information on disability laws, your rights
and the ways in which our Social Security lawyers can significantly
improve your chances of obtaining benefits. The attorney's fee is
limited to 25% of the back award, or $5300, whichever is less. No fees
are taken from the monthly checks you receive after benefits are
awarded. If you do not receive benefits, or if there is no back award
in your case, then no fee is charged.
There are important
distinctions between the SSDI and SSI programs:
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Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides benefits to disabled people
(including certain disabled dependents) who have paid into the
Social Security trust fund through Federal Insurance Contributions
Act (FICA) taxes.
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Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based providing financial aid to
disabled people who meet low-income guidelines. SSI program
benefits are available to the disabled regardless of their
employment history.
According to the
Social Security Act, to qualify for disability payments (either SSDI
or SSI) you must prove that you cannot do any work for which you are
suited due to a medical condition that is expected to last for a
minimum of a year, or is terminal. While an estimated 6.5 million
people received Social Security benefits last year, many first time
applicants were denied and others had their benefits terminated.
Insufficient medical proof of a disabling physical or mental
impairment is often to blame for a negative outcome.
Our firm is available
for legal support throughout the claims process and can offer
invaluable assistance in all of your interactions with the Social
Security Administration. We accept clients even before their
applications are filed. We can help you complete applications and
other forms and collect medical records or other necessary
documentation. Your attorney will help appeal your claim if you are
denied benefits and will ensure that all requirements and deadlines
are met. If you must appear before a Social Security Administrative
Law Judge in a hearing to determine your eligibility for disability,
your attorney will prepare you for the hearing and present your case
before the judge.
If you need help in filing or
appealing a social security claim, it is important to have expert
legal help. Please contact Heard &
Smith today at (210) 820-3737 or toll free at: (800) 584-3700, or
contact us via our website. Attorneys
practicing:
John R. Heard,
Chester Brown,
Suzanne Villalon-Hinojosa,
Kathleen L. Day,
Cynthia Ellis Rosen
Click
here for more information on our attorneys. For more information on Social Security Disability, please see:
Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) FAQs
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) FAQs
Social Security Disability
Links
Social Security Glossary
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