DISABILITY RESOURCES

Five Ways to Improve Your Chances of Winning SSD Benefits

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Allow Pond Lehocky Giordano Disability to represent you!

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that individuals who applied for SSDI were awarded benefits nearly three times the rate than those without representatives.

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Don’t wait to file.

If you are out of work because of your medical conditions, apply now. The SSDI process can take a very long time. From the moment you apply to the time you receive your first decision, you could wait six months or longer. If you are denied, depending on what state you live in, you may have to go through another six months wait before you can even request a hearing before a judge. By the time it is all said and done, you could be waiting up to three years for a hearing. That is why you should never hesitate to apply and should call us now!

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Make sure you list all of your impairments and doctors on your application.

If you fail to include a medical condition or a doctor who has treated you on your application, the Social Security Administration will neither consider that impairment nor order that doctor’s records when analyzing your claim. At Pond Lehocky Disability, we have staff members who will file the application for you and are trained to make sure that nothing is missing that could cause your case to be denied prematurely.

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Get a physician’s care for your medical impairments.

Medical treatment is not only necessary for your health but is also critical in your SSDI claim. Without medical records to review, the adjudicator and/or judge cannot adequately assess whether your medical conditions are disabling, and you will most likely be denied. If you have insurance, it is imperative that you make sure you are getting treatment for your medical conditions. Medical specialist treatment is also important. If you have a heart problem, a cardiologist’s records will be crucial to your claim. Make sure you are seeing the proper specialist who specifically treats your medical condition. We at Pond Lehocky Disability know that access to medical insurance is extremely difficult, leaving many of our clients without options. If you do not have medical insurance, the next best option is to find a local clinic and make sure you are visiting as much as possible.

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Don’t give up!

Although initial claims are denied almost 70% of the time, you cannot let that stop you. Our greatest success is at the hearing level before a judge. If you are denied, do not give up. Appealing that decision is your best option. Pond Lehocky Disability can help and will fight for you.