Bad Health? Do You Need Help Applying for Disability to Cover Your Bills?
Your health took a turn for the worse. Now you can’t work. You need to apply for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits because the monthly income support would be a major relief.
But how do you apply for Social Security Disability? Where do you start?
It’s a huge, complicated government program. You’ve heard—correctly—that most people get denied.
These are some ofthe first steps in starting a Social Security Disability application:
- Completing the Application for Disability Insurance Benefits (Form SSA-16)
- Completing the Adult Disability Report (Form SSA-3368-BK)
- Completing the Adult Function Report (Form SSA-3373)
- Completing the Work Activity Report (Form SSA-821-BK)
- Completing the Work History Report (Form SSA-3369-BK)
You can fill out these forms and send them to Social Security online. You can answer the questions on the phone. Or you can drop off the forms at a Social Security office.
But believe it or not, this isn’t even everything you need to do. There are more forms to fill out. And each form requires you to gather supporting documents and information.
You don’t have to deal with this alone. For no upfront cost to you, you can get a skilled Social Security Disability lawyer to walk you through it. But some lawyers don’t help with initial applications for benefits, only denials.
To get help from the very first step, talk to the Texas disability attorneys at Morgan Weisbrod.
We’ve helped thousands of Texans apply for disability. Our SSD lawyers have over 80 years of combined legal experience.
You can see Morgan Weisbrod’s dedication to helping with Social Security Disability applications in the fact that many of our lawyers put in the extra effort needed to become board certified in disability law.
People work with us inDallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and any city or town in Texas.
When health problems have knocked you down, disability benefits can stabilize your life and protect your sense of independence and dignity.
What Information Do I Need for My Social Security Disability Application?
Before you sit down to fill out forms like the ones listed above, gather all the documents and information you need. It’ll make it easier to complete the forms if you have the answers handy.
Your goal is to show Social Security how you meet the three basic qualifications for disability benefits: 1. You can’t work. 2. The reason is major health issues. 3. You won’t be able to work for at least a year.
This is some of what you need to gather for your SSD claim:
- Medical records describing your illness or impairment (to show it’s serious)
- Medical records describing your treatment (to show whether you’re improving enough to work)
- Job descriptions and details of your past work (to show tasks you’re no longer able to do)
- Information on your education and training (to show whether there are other kinds of work you could be qualified for)
- Basics like birth date and place, citizenship status, marriage status and Social Security number (to show you are covered for benefits)
It all adds up to proving beyond any doubt that you can’t work, and you really do qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.
Maybe you’ve heard people say they know someone who gets disability but isn’t sick. All this proof is designed to prevent cheating like that.
And honestly, getting disability benefits is so hard that it’s extremely rare for someone to trick the system. If you heard one of those stories, there’s probably more to it.
Applying for disability benefits is like putting together a legal case.
If you’re wondering how to file for disability, you can find out what it’s going to take by having a conversation, for free, with the Morgan Weisbrod Texas disability lawyers.
Tips for Success when You Apply for Disability
This is some of the best advice we can give on how to improve your chances of getting your application for disability benefits approved:
- Answer every question on the forms.
- Make sure your answers are clear and easy to read.
- Complete every form that Social Security requires.
- Make sure all your facts are correct.
- Avoid putting information on one form that contradicts what you say on another.
- Include ample medical evidence from your doctors and other health care providers.
- Meet all deadlines that Social Security gives you to return forms and answer their questions.
Also, apply for disability benefits as soon as you realize you’ll be unable to work for the long term.
You don’t want to wait because the benefits you’ll eventually win will cover the time since Social Security first considered you to have a qualifying disability, which is often determined by the date when you applied.
It may take months or longer to win disability benefits, but you’ll get back pay to cover that time. The earlier you apply for Social Security Disability, the more back pay you may get.
The Morgan Weisbrod Social Security Disability lawyers can be there with you every step of the way, easing the pressure on you, steering you clear of mistakes, and making sure your needs are respected.
In a time of hardship, let us support you so you can feel hope again.
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