Orlando Social Security Disability Attorney
Experienced Orlando Social Security Disability Attorney
Some injury, illness, or other physical or mental condition is keeping you from working. Your medical bills are costly, and all your other bills are piling up as well. Your disability prevents you from returning to work at your old job or performing any other job. Social Security can help.
Social Security isn’t just a retirement fund. Fifteen cents out of every dollar paid in FICA taxes go to the Social Security Disability Insurance program (SSDI) to provide valuable financial assistance to those who can no longer work due to some disabling condition.
According to its name, SSDI is supposedly insurance, but when have you ever heard of an insurance company that denies two out of every three claims for benefits? Those are the odds against you when you file an application for social security disability (SSD) with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Even though you’ve paid into the system all your adult life and earned your right to benefits when you need them, the government wants to make doubly sure you can’t work at all before they release those benefits to you.
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They don’t want to have to pay you, so don’t count on the government for assistance with your application. Instead, rely on help from an experienced social security disability attorney whose only job is to see that you get the benefits you need and deserve. Orlando SSD attorney Shea Fugate has been helping people obtain SSD benefits for 30 years. The Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. is passionate about helping people in need. Give our Orlando Social Security Disability attorney a call if you have questions about SSD or if you have applied for benefits and been rejected.
What are SSD benefits, and why are most applications denied?
SSD benefits include a monthly payment of income plus medical insurance (Medicare) to help you pay for medical bills and other necessities when you can’t work because of physical or mental impairment. The amount of your monthly payment depends in part on the years you have worked and the amount you have contributed to social security in the form of FICA taxes.
The SSA wants to limit the receipt of SSD benefits, so they scrutinize every application very carefully. If a claim is incomplete in any way, it will be rejected. Also, your application may have been technically complete, but it may not present a solid, compelling case that you are eligible for SSD. Applications are turned down for “non-medical” reasons when the applicant does not appear to have enough work credits or otherwise qualify based on work history. Applications are also rejected for “medical” reasons, i.e., the applicant does not meet the strict definition of disability as defined by Social Security.
Your case for benefits will include the need for medical evidence as well as legal arguments. At the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A., we understand both the medical and legal aspects of your claim, and we prepare a solid case for both, whether in a request for reconsideration, ALJ hearing, Appeals Council review, or judicial review in federal court. Our firm has experience in every step of the SSD claims process, and we work to get you your benefits as quickly as possible, with a successful application as our ultimate goal. Our attorney is particularly experienced in federal court appeals, a vital step in the claim process that is ignored by many disability attorneys who limit their practice to administrative hearings and appeals.
So many people whose initial application is denied simply assume that’s the end of the story. They don’t know it’s possible to fight a denial in several different ways, or they don’t think it’s worthwhile for an individual to try and take on one of the largest government bureaucracies in the world. At the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A., we want you to know that it is possible to appeal a denial of SSD benefits and succeed. Our attorney, Shea Fugate, has been doing it for 30 years. If you’ve been turned down for social security disability benefits, contact our offices in Orlando for a free consultation. We won’t charge any fee until we are successful in getting benefits for you.
Florida Social Security Disability FAQs
Answers to your frequently asked questions about Florida social security disability
Florida disability law attorney Shea Fugate has 30 years of experience helping people in Orlando get their social security disability (SSD) benefits when they’ve become disabled and can no longer work. The Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. is a law firm that truly cares about you and gets you the help you need. Below are answers to some of the questions we hear most frequently when asked about SSD applications, benefits, and denials. If you have other questions or need help after getting turned down for disability benefits in Orlando, call the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. at 407-539-0123. Your initial consultation is free, and we only charge a fee once we are successful in getting benefits for you.
Can I get SSD for a temporary disability?
SSD is only available to people with a permanent disability, and the government has strict definitions for SSD eligibility. You must have a physical or mental condition that keeps you from being able to work or perform substantial gainful activity, and your situation must be likely to last for a year or longer or eventually lead to death. The Social Security Administration (SSA) does allow people receiving SSD to go back to work for a trial work period without losing benefits. If you find you can return to work, your benefits will terminate.
Does Social Security pay benefits for the loss of a spouse?
Yes. There may be a one-time payment of $255 plus monthly benefits based on your spouse’s earnings as well as your age and the type of benefit involved, such as “child in care” benefits. The rules for receiving survivor’s benefits differ depending on whether you were married, divorced or remarried to another at the time of your spouse’s (or former spouse’s) death.
Are there any benefits available for a disabled widow or widower who did not work enough to qualify for social security?
Yes. If your deceased spouse qualified for social security, you might be able to get SSD benefits as a disabled widow or widower. Such benefits may be available to a surviving divorced spouse as well. In either case, you must be between 50 and 60 years old and meet Social Security’s definition of disability, and the onset of the disability must have occurred before the death of your spouse or within seven years of the death.
Can a disabled adult child receive SSD?
If the child is at least 18 years old, is unmarried, and the onset of the disability started before age 22, the child can receive SSD based on the earnings record of a parent who is receiving SSD or is eligible for SSD, or is deceased.
Can I file for SSD without a lawyer?
In theory, you should not need a lawyer to apply for SSD benefits. Social Security offers an online disability application that you can complete from the comfort of your home. You can also make an appointment over the phone or at your local Social Security office with a Social Security representative. Many applications are turned away because of minor technical errors, so it’s a good idea to go over your application carefully before you submit it and maybe have a friend or family member review it with you.
Keep in mind that the vast majority of applications for SSD are rejected, so don’t get overly discouraged if yours is too. Social Security uses very strict rules and definitions for eligibility and requires ample, quality medical evidence to support your application. Attorney Shea Fugate has been helping people get social security disability benefits for 30 years. If your application is denied, we’ll get to work right away putting together a strong case for reconsideration of your claim, and we’ll request hearings and appeals as necessary. Without a lawyer, you are likely to be turned down and not know how to proceed any further. With the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. on your side, you’ll know that your case is being handled promptly and diligently by a dedicated and experienced disability law professional who is committed to getting you the benefits you need as quickly as possible.
Get Your SSD Questions Answered by Our Orlando Disability Law Attorney
Call the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. for help with social security disability applications, hearings, and appeals in Orlando. Call 407-539-1023 for a free consultation, or contact us online.
Let Orlando SSD Attorney Shea Fugate Help You Get Your Social Security Disability Payments
Getting social security disability benefits is hard. Calling the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. is easy. Call our Orlando SSD attorney at 407-539-0123 or fill out our form for a free consultation, and get started on the road to receiving the benefits you need and deserve.
Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. 1800 Pembrook Dr Suite 300, Orlando, FL 32810 407-539-0123
