USE AN APPEAL TO GET DISABILITY BENEFITS

By: Charles W. Forsythe, The Forsythe Firm, Huntsville, AL

If you have recently been denied Social Security disability benefits (SSDI), there is still a way to be approved and get paid. The denial is NOT final and probably can be reversed and your claim using an the appeal system.

HERE ARE 2 KEYS TO AN EFFECTIVE APPEAL

1. The appeal must be filed within 60 days of your denial.

2. You are more likely to be successful if assisted by a lawyer or non-attorney advocate.

There are actually two appeals that most successful claimants will use.

The first appeal is called "Reconsideration," in which you ask the Disability Determination Service (DDS) to review your claim again and "reconsider" their decision. This very seldom results in approval of the claim, so we move to the next step.

The second appeal is a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Your lawyer or non-attorney advocate will prepare the case for you and appear in court to argue your eligibility for disability benefits under the government's rules. He/she will present testimony and evidence to prove that you meet the rules and regulations of the Social Security Administration. (You are not required to use a lawyer or advocate; however, you are 3 times more likely to succeed if you do). This writer recovered over $150,000 in past due benefits for one client after a hearing. In all, this firm has recovered millions of dollars for Social Security clients.

In Alabama your chance of winning an appeal before a judge is just above 50 percent. The Forsythe Firm wins between 80 and 90 percent of the SSDI cases that we represent at the hearing level. There is no fee/cost to you unless you are approved AND receive back pay (past due benefits).

KEY TAKEAWAY POINTS

• The law gives you just 60 days to file an appeal.

• You should talk to a disability lawyer / advocate about helping.

• Your appeal should be taken all the way to the Hearing level.

Charles W. Forsythe at The Forsythe Firm in Huntsville specializes only in Social Security disability cases. He will provide you with a free consultation to evaluate your disability case. You won't be charged anything unless you win your claim/appeal and also collect your past due benefits (also called "back pay"). Start with a simple phone call:

(256) 799-0297 Call Now