Even if you've been injured, Social Security has a strict definition of what it means to be disabled. To qualify for benefits, your disability must be classified as an inability to engage in substantial gainful activity for a continuous period of 12 months as the result of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment.
For most people that become disabled after the age of 31, the criteria for receiving benefits includes that you must have worked at least half of the time during the 10 years prior to your disability. Ken can help you organize the documentation he will need to develop and present a consistent timeline to help establish your need for benefits.
Navigating the Social Security disability process can be an overwhelming task with many requirements that must be precisely met and addressed in order to receive benefits. By hiring an attorney like Ken Popkess, you will receive the benefit of experience he has put into helping thousands of people receive their benefits that will result in you having a greater chance of being approved.
You have to know how to focus on the information that will most effectively assist an administrative law judge to approve your claim. You will need to prepare by getting your medical records and be ready to testify at your hearing. Having an attorney like Ken to assist you in all of these requirements as well as prepare the legal documents that address the legal and medical issues in your case and present an opening statement and closing argument at your hearing dramatically increases your chance of successfully being awarded benefits.
The amount of your attorney's fee cannot exceed 25% of back pay or $5300, whichever is less is set and approved by the Social Security Administration in each case. This means that you can afford to hire an attorney like Ken Popkess who offers an extremely high level of personal attention rather than opt to be a number at a large firm. Most importantly, there is no money to pay up front and no fee to pay unless you win your claim.
It's not uncommon for people representing themselves to be denied many times. There are steps that you can take that will immediately improve your future chances of success with your disability claim. Before you appeal you should contact Ken for a free evaluation to discuss your claim. |