Legal Help Appealing the Denial of Your Social Security Disability Claim
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If your Social Security Disability application has been rejected, you are in good company. It is very common for the Social Security Administration to reject applications the first time they are submitted.
Do not let a rejection stop you from fighting for the disability payments you need. If you are a disabled worker, contact me, an experienced SSDI appeals lawyer to help you communicate your case effectively.
I'm attorney Richard Gutstadt. My Oakland law firm focuses exclusively on helping disabled people appeal Social Security Disability Insurance claim denials.
I have been doing this work for 30 years and have helped thousands of clients obtain the SSDI benefits they needed. My legal team can help you. Contact us by e-mail or call our office at (510) 451-8370.
The SSDI Appeals Process
As your SSDI appeal attorney, it is my goal to maximize your chance for a successful appeal at the earliest stage of the Social Security appeals process. It is best to call me as soon as you can after you have received your initial rejection letter.
There are four levels of appeal of a denied Social Security Disability claim:
- Reconsideration: If you request it, the Social Security Administration will informally review your application at the local office where your application was filed. You can handle this appeal yourself, or you can contact my office at this time.
- Administrative Appeal: This is a formal, independent hearing before an administrative law judge. The best time to bring an SSDI appeal lawyer into your case is before you attend this hearing (although the earlier the better). Decisions made at the administrative appeal can help or hinder any later appeal.
- Social Security Appeals Council: This appeal takes place before the national appeals council in Washington, D.C.
- Federal Court Appeal: I do not take cases to federal court, but I can refer you to a lawyer whose legal focus is on federal appeals.
Proving Your Disability Case to the Social Security Administration
There is an old saying: "A good attorney knows the law. A great attorney knows the judge." In some ways, that is absolutely true. After 30 years of bringing SSDI appeals before California administrative law judges, I do know the judges.
More important, I understand each judge's threshold of proof—the kind of medical and non-medical evidence we will need to make your case. Furthermore, I know how to communicate that evidence in terms that will make it clear how your disability fits the SSA criteria for a successful disability benefits claim.
At your initial interview, my legal team and I will work with you to outline your medical history. We will also discuss non-medical factors that may influence your appeal, such as your past work, your education, your motivation to work, the effects of pain and medications on your daily life and work, and any attempts you have made to work.
The administrative law judge will consider a variety of factors in making a decision, and it is essential to develop a number of themes in support of your disability claim.
Medical and vocational experts are often present at disability appeals hearings. The opinions of these experts may decide a case one way or the other and, as your appeals lawyer, I will prepare a defensive strategy to deal with the possibility of unfavorable expert testimony.
I have helped many people obtain the SSDI benefits they needed, even after their claims were initially denied. For a free consultation about your case, contact my Oakland law office now.