Social Security Disability Process

Understanding The Social Security Disability Process

Federal law provides benefits to disabled citizens through Social Security. The process of obtaining those benefits can be excruciatingly long and unnecessarily complicated. That’s why it is essential, in many cases, to have an attorney who thoroughly understands that process — and who can help you get through it in one piece.

The Lawrence Law Firm, led by disability attorney Chad Lawrence, offers clients decades of experience with the Social Security system. We can answer your questions and help you develop a clear understanding of what you can do to get the benefits you need.

A Focused Law Firm That Understands Social Security Benefits

The Lawrence Law Firm has offices in Kissimmee, Tampa and Orlando, Florida. We provide practical advice and experienced legal representation to disabled people and their families. We can help you navigate the challenges of the Social Security Disability benefits process. Specifically, we can assist you by:

Explaining, in detail, what it takes to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD or SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Building strong medical documentation of your disability impairment, a critical element in the success of any Social Security claim
Evaluating a denied Social Security claim — most claims are turned down the first time — and appealing that claim if it is valid
Preparing you for a disability hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) — and representing you strongly in a hearing
Representing you in federal appeals court, if appropriate

Winning Starts From The Beginning

When you retain the Lawrence Law Firm, our dedicated staff will meet with you to discuss your Social Security claim and develop a strategy to win your claim. It’s getting more and more difficult to secure favorable decisions. The judges are getting more conservative in their approach to claims. In particular, judges are reviewing the medical records to see the following:

1) Frequency and duration of a given condition: The judges want to know how often your condition affects your ability to function. Therefore, you need to tell your doctors how often and how long your conditions impact your ability to function — for example, if you experience panic attacks three times per week. Make sure you tell your doctor how often you experience those attacks so that he or she will medically document it. If you have to raise your feet for two hours a day because of diabetic neuropathy, tell your doctor to document how long your feet are raised per day. If you have medication side effects that cause you to have to take naps during the day, tell your doctor to document how often and how long you take those naps. The judges want to see how your condition takes you off task and for how long. Documenting the frequency and duration that your disability takes you off task makes it easier for the judges to approve your claim.

2) Consistency in the medical records from doctor to doctor: If you say one thing to one doctor and don’t mention your condition to the other doctor, chances are that one of your doctors is going to document the fact that you are not experiencing one of the conditions you claim make you disabled. For example, if you have a low-back injury and see an orthopedic surgeon, make sure you mention to your OB/GYN or internist that you also have back pain. Many doctors now have boilerplate software that includes allows them to check if the patient is suffering from other conditions outside of their specialty. If you don’t mention you have back pain to your internist or OB/GYN, he or she is probably going to mention, without your knowledge, the fact that you had no orthopedic complaints in their records. Be consistent!