DENIED BENEFITS? SHOULD YOU GIVE UP?

No. You should not give up. You have just started the process! Just because you were denied doesn't mean that you have a poor case. It means that you have been a victim of the system.

Most Social Security disability claims are denied TWICE before they are paid:

• They are denied at the initial application stage, and

• They are denied again at Reconsideration (the second stage of appeal)

The third stage is the most important because it is your best chance to win. It's a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge or ALJ for short.

HOW IS A HEARING DIFFERENT?

1. A hearing is your first opportunity to sit down with an official of the Social Security Administration and explain your case.

2. It is the first chance your attorney gets to speak to a judge on your behalf.

3. The Judge isn't bound by any previous decision Social Security has made.

4. Your attorney gets to confront and questions the vocational witness one-on-one.

5. You may submit new evidence right up to the time of your hearing.

The Social Security disability process is long and frustrating. There are months between each stage of the process. It requires you to be tenacious, patient and assertive.

The defeats in Social Security belong to those who get disappointed and just give up. Those who wait are often rewarded with full benefits.

The Forsythe Firm will give you an absolutely free evaluation of your case. If we think you have a solid case, we will represent you all the way to the judge, if necessary to get your benefits for you. We will never charge you a fee unless you win your SSDI. If you don't win, we work for free.

Start with a telephone call to (256) 799-0297.