Boston Lawyer for SSI Appeals

When you apply for supplemental security income (SSI), you need access to your funds now! You don’t have time to be dealing with the appeals process after your claim has been denied. Many claimants will often give up after their initial claim has been denied, but unfortunately, the majority of SSI claims are denied… at first.

Once you file your appeal and address any concerns the Social Security Administration (SSA) has, you should be on your way to obtaining your benefits in no time. Working with a highly trained Boston SSI appeals lawyer can be the way to ensure you get approved for your benefits as soon as possible.

Filing Your SSI Appeal

After your SSI claim has been denied, you will begin the appeals process. To start, you will file an appeal request and appeal disability report with the SSA that will jump-start your appeal.

You must do this within sixty days of your claim being denied. Failure to meet this deadline will result in the SSA asking you to re-file your initial application. However, if you qualify, you can still file your appeal after missing the deadline due to the “good cause” exception.

Prepare for Your SSI Hearing

Once your appeal has been received, the SSA will review the details of your case. This is commonly referred to as reconsideration. Should this portion of your appeal fail, you will be able to request a hearing in front of an administrative law judge (ALJ).

If you plan to have your case heard by an ALJ, make sure to adhere to the same deadline of sixty days from the date you first filed your reconsideration appeal. In the event that the ALJ upholds the decision to deny your claim, you will have the opportunity to go before the appeals council.

Here, the appeals council will review the decision of the ALJ who heard your case to determine if a mistake was made. If they find legal mistakes or SSA policy errors, they can schedule a second hearing or even overturn the ALJ’s ruling. Alternately, they can uphold the ALJ’s original verdict of your denied claim.

When You’d Go to Federal District Court

If all of the aforementioned appeals have been exhausted, hope is not lost! You can still bring your case to federal district court. This will be your last opportunity to pursue an appeal on your claim. At this point, you will be required to retain an attorney to help support your case.

Your Boston attorney for SSI appeals will present medical documentation, demonstrate your need for SSI benefits, and provide witness testimony where applicable so that you have the optimum chances for having your claim approved.

Work with a Boston SSI Lawyer

When you’re ready to fight the SSA so that you can obtain the benefits you need to continue to support yourself and your family, get in touch with a qualified Boston SSI lawyer at Joel H. Schwartz, PC. You can schedule your no-obligation case review today by filling out the quick contact form at the bottom of this page or by giving our office a call at 1-800-660-2270.