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Filing for Social Security Disability — the steps to takeFiling for Social Security Disability (SSD) is as easy as contacting your local social security office and requesting an appointment—in fact, in most cases the disability interview can be conducted right over the phone, or, if you prefer, in person. However, before you make that call you should gather the information necessary to help your evaluation interview go more smoothly. Some steps to take before filing for disability include: 1. Determine if your wages/earnings exceed the maximum amount allowed for those who receive SSD. Your monthly gross income must be below a certain dollar amount for you to be eligible to collect social security disability benefits. 2. Ask your family doctor, specialist, treating physician, or other medical professional, if he or she will be supportive of your disability claim. Most claims are not approved at the initial claim or even upon submitting a request for reconsideration. In the likely event that your case must proceed to a disability hearing, your attorney will need a statement from your doctor verifying that you are unable to work for a living wage. It’s best to ask your physician up front if he or she is willing to get involved in the process—some doctors will not because they are not willing to commit to the time and paperwork involved with disability cases, and if this is true, you will need to find a physician who is willing to put his or her opinion in writing. 3. Get your medical records in order. Disability claims are ultimately decided on medical records, so make sure the disability examiner in your case has everything he or she needs to assess your medical condition. You should provide the examiner with your complete medical history, including medical conditions, dates and locations of treatment, and contact information for the attending physician at the time of treatment. 4. You will be asked to provide a written work history more than once during this process. Record all jobs you’ve performed within the last 15 years, noting duties and responsibilities of each position. Remember that your past work will help the examiner decide what work you may or may not be fit to perform in your current medical condition—whatever work you have shown yourself capable of performing in the past will have a direct impact on your case. If you have completed the steps above, you will be in a better position to gain a favorable outcome for your disability claim. You can call your local social security office to file the SSD claim, or file it online (online applications apply only to SSD, not SSI cases). You may wish to hire a disability lawyer before you file the claim, although many attorneys will not take the case until you have already filed and received an answer. Having your records in order will help you cut your legal expenses, and help you monitor your case as it works its way through the system. For more information on: Social Security Disability and SSI Disability.
A few words about Elder Law 
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