Are you suffering from a disability that keeps you from working? If so, you may be wondering how you will continue to afford to pay your bills and other living expenses. Social Security Disability is a program made to help those in need. However, applying for this kind of assistance is often a lengthy process, and many people get denied the first time despite having a true disability. If you would like to improve your chances of getting approved and getting the financial help, there are several steps to take.
Get Help From a Disability Attorney
Instead of completing an application on your own, consider sitting down with a disability attorney who can explain the questions on the application to you in detail, making sure you understand them and answer them correctly. One of the many reasons people can get denied is because they did not answer the questions on the application form correctly.
You may need to complete a form explaining how you are affected by your disability. Make sure to be as descriptive as possible. The pain you experience daily may get in the way of you doing things you were once capable of doing with ease, such as standing on your feet while working or lifting heavy objects. You may rely on physical therapy and different medications prescribed by a physician to help keep the pain under control. You should make a list of any medications that were prescribed to you for your disability.
The attorney can review the form to make sure it clearly explains your disability and the negative impact it has on your life. Not only can the attorney help you with completing the application and forms, he or she can assist with the appeals process if you do receive a notification of denial for some reason.
Gather Your Medical Records as Evidence
It is important to prove that you truly have a disability before you can receive financial help. You may have visited hospitals and doctors over the past few months in an attempt to find out the underlying cause behind your pain and receive treatment for the disability. You can request to obtain copies of your medical records from the different physicians you have visited. Your medical records may easily provide proof of a disability. If you were in an accident that caused your ailments to occur, you can even include the accident report with your application and other forms.
Social Security Disability comes in handy when you are a disabled person who is no longer able to work. However, the application process for this assistance is often a lengthy one. If you would like to get through the process without too much stress, consider contacting a disability attorney who can walk you through everything and increase your chances of receiving an approval the first time around. Contact a firm like Horn & Kelley, PC Attorneys at Law for more information.