METRO DETROIT SOcial security disability LAWYER
Metro Detroit Social Security Disability Lawyer
If you are disabled and can no longer work, you need Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. Many Americans do not realize that they are entitled to benefits provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Contact the Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers today if you have been wrongfully denied benefits you are owed, or need help filing your initial application.
Social Security Disability (SSD) Benefits
Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits are available to disabled individuals who are unable to work and who meet the Social Security Administration’s requirements. Generally, you have sufficient Social Security Administration (SSA) “work credits” to qualify for SSD benefits if you have worked for 5 out of the last 10 years.
The following factors determine your eligibility for SSD benefits:
- Your number of work credits
- Whether you have an impairment that has lasted, or is expected to last, for at minimum 12 months, or is expected to result in death
- The nature and extent of your impairment
- Your ability to engage in substantial gainful activity since your impairment began
- The date of your disability
You may also be eligible for benefits if you are a spouse or child of a worker who died, a dependent parent of a worker who died, or the spouse or child of someone receiving SSD benefits.
DISABILITY REQUIREMENT
The Social Security Administration (SSA) defines whether a disability qualifies for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. For a disability to qualify, it must result in the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically terminable physical or mental impairment(s), which can be expected to result in death or is expected to last for a continuous period of 12 months or more.
Essentially, you are considered disabled for SSD purposes if:
- You cannot do the work that you did before
- The SSA decides that you cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition(s); and
- Your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or result in death.
If you or your loved one has been denied SSD benefits, contact the experienced attorneys at the Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers today. We know and understand the complex and confusing laws regarding SSD benefits, and will put our experience to work to help get you the benefits you deserve.
APPLYING FOR SSD BENEFITS IN MICHIGAN
There are three ways to apply for Social Security Disability benefits:
- In person at your local Social Security Administration office
- Online at SSA.gov
- By calling the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. (Deaf and hard of hearing individuals can reach the Social Security Administration on its TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.)
In order to file for benefits, you will need to gather proof of your identity, finances, medical history and employment history. The application is cumbersome and complex. Contact us today for help with the Social Security application process.
If you have been denied benefits on your initial application, you will need to Appeal by requesting a hearing before and Administrative Law Judge. You can request an appeal hearing in the same manner as the initial application (see above). The claimant has 60 days from the date of the denial to request a hearing. Once the Appeal is filed, the wait time for a hearing is long (typically between 12-18 months).
An application for disability benefits can be denied for many reasons, however, the most common are:
- Your medical condition is not severe enough to keep you from working
- You have not acquired enough quarters of coverage to remain insured for SSD benefits
- You condition was not disabling at any time before your work credits expired
If you received a denial by an Administrative Law Judge, you have 60 days to appeal to the Appeals Council, which reviews the Administrative Law Judge’s decision.
Whether you are filing for benefits for the first time, or facing an appeal, let the Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers help. Contact our office today, and let us fight to secure the Social Security Disability benefits you are owed.
Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers recently settled a case involving an assault and battery of a U.S. veteran at a Metro Detroit restaurant for $95,000.
Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers settled a pre-suit car accident case for full policy limits this week after a Metro Detroit woman was struck earlier this year while attempting to cross the street by a vehicle traveling at an excessive rate of speed.
Dogs are wonderful companions and family members. However, it is a reality that dog bites can be traumatic and result in very serious injuries for the victim. If you have been the victim of a dog bite attack, you need an experienced Michigan dog bite lawyer to handle your case.
Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers recently reached an $80,000 settlement on a premises liability case involving a serious knee injury to a woman who tripped over an exposed, elevated bolt on the sidewalk of a Metro Detroit business.
Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers reached a $50,000 settlement on a case involving injuries to a registered nurse who was assaulted by her patient.
Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers recently reached a $154,000 settlement on a slip and fall case involving a serious knee injury to a woman who fell on a freshly mopped floor in a Metro Detroit business.
In many personal injury cases, the need for medical assistance after a car accident, slip and fall, or dog bite injury is clear. The injured person may have a broken bone, fracture or require stitches and the need for immediate medical assistance is obvious. In other cases, the accident victim may be unsure whether they need to see a doctor and spend the time and incur the associated costs.
A dangerous and potentially life threatening bacterial infection has been linked to the use of certain heater-cooling units (HCU). These devices are used during surgeries such as open heart surgery, lung surgery or liver transplant surgery to regulate a patient’s body temperature.
Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers reached a $250,000 settlement earlier this month on a dog bite case involving an attack on a 3 year old boy that left the child with deep lacerations, puncture wounds and severe bruising to his face.
Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers reached a pre-suit settlement earlier this month on a premises liability case involving a slip and fall on ice. Our client was injured early in the morning when he slipped and fell on the unsalted parking lot of his apartment complex as he attempted to access his car for work.
Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers is pleased to announce that Attorney Cameron Peralta has been selected by The National Trial Lawyers for inclusion in its Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in Michigan, an honor given to only a select group of lawyers for their superior skills and qualifications in the field. Membership in this exclusive organization is by invitation only, and is limited to attorneys in each state or region age 40 or younger who have demonstrated excellence and have achieved outstanding results in their careers in either civil plaintiff or criminal defense law.
After your case is filed, the parties will engage in a process called "discovery", where each side is permitted to request relevant facts or evidence from the opposing party in an effort to build their case and prepare for trial.
You've met with your attorney and are ready to begin the case. What is the next step to getting you the compensation you deserve?
Exercise Care this Memorial Day Weekend. With so many people on the road, the potential for dangerous auto accidents is high. Take extra caution while driving. Particularly allow for more space between vehicles and time to stop. Have a wonderful, but safe, weekend!
Rear-end collisions can be particularly dangerous for Michigan drivers. If hit while stopped the injuries can be devastating. How many times have you been stopped at a light and and see the driver behind you coming up at a high rate of speed with his or her head in their phone?
Regardless of the severity of your injuries, if you were injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you should consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to determine your rights to compensation.
Often times a prospective client will reach out to our office weeks or even months after suffering a slip and fall accident seeking to pursue a claim for damages. Sometimes the best evidence to support their claim for damages has faded, changed or been replaced. It is more difficult to re-create the scene of a fall as time passes. Here are 5 tips to help preserve the evidence of a slip and fall claim to maximize your recovery:
Whether you have a Michigan car accident case, slip and fall case, dog bite case, medical malpractice case or other personal injury case, it is likely you will experience case evaluation. In most circuit court cases requesting money damages, the parties will submit to case evaluation or a mediation conference.
The Michigan House Transportation Committee is considering a new bill that would make it illegal for Michigan drivers to use a hand-held electronic device for any purpose while driving. Currently, the law only forbids texting while driving.
Have you witnessed an injury to a close family member caused by someone else’s negligence? Did you subsequently suffer emotional distress after seeing a love one harmed? If so, you may be able to bring a claim for Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress.
If you are involved in a Michigan auto accident, you are entitled to receive personal injury protection (PIP) benefits from the responsible no-fault insurer (usually this is your own insurance company). However, you should be aware that your auto insurance policy may have a high deductible that applies when you submit a claim for PIP benefits.
Have you ever taken your car to a repair shop for a quick oil change, tire rotation or other routine maintenance and repairs only to get the vehicle back in a worse condition than when you dropped it off? If so, the Motor Vehicle Service & Repair Act (MVSRA) may provide you relief.
Under the Michigan No-Fault Act, personal injury protection (PIP) benefits are available to anyone who sustains an injury “arising out of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle.” MCL 500.3105. In most situations, the injured person receives no-fault benefits from his or her own insurance company. However, even if you do not have a car, you can still be injured in an auto accident. A passenger or pedestrian is still entitled to no-fault benefits regardless of whether he or she was the owner, driver or even an occupant of the motor vehicle involved in the accident.
Aside from putting you at risk for serious injuries if involved in a car accident, failing to wear your seat belt could make your responsible for a civil infraction. It could also constitute negligence and reduce your tort recovery in a subsequent motor vehicle negligence case against the at-fault driver.
One important element of a dog bite claim is properly identifying the party responsible. The proper defendant in a Michigan dog bite attack is the owner, keeper or possessor of the animal. Check out our new blog post to learn the differences of each and for more information on Michigan Dog Bite law.
The Statute of Limitations sets forth the maximum time after an event in which legal proceedings can be initiated. After the statute of limitations expires, unless a legal exception applies, the injured party loses the right to file a lawsuit. Don't wait until the time period for filing your claim expires to get compensation for your injuries.
According to the Center For Disease Control And Prevention, 48 million Americans suffer from food poisoning each year, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. If you have ever suffered an illness as a result of food served at a restaurant or purchased at a grocery store, you may have wondered if you could pursue a claim for damages.
If you have been injured by a third-party while on the job, you may be entitled to bring a negligence case against the responsible party in addition to receiving worker's compensation benefits. However, your employer/worker's compensation carrier may have a lien on your third-party case for benefits it paid.
Metro Detroit Injury Lawyers reached a settlement last month on a dog bite case involving an attack on a 4 year old little girl that left the child with facial lacerations and puncture wounds on her face.