Trustworthy and Dependable Social Security Disability Lawyers Offering Skilled Representation Throughout Texas
If you’re searching for a skilled Texas disability lawyer to navigate the complexities of the Social Security claims process, look no further than the attorneys and staff at GCC Law Firm. A medical condition that limits your ability to work and earn a living presents immense challenges, and we are committed to utilizing our knowledge and experience to secure the financial assistance you need to alleviate the burden. Texans trust us to provide experienced, dedicated representation and the personalized attention that every claim deserves.
When you cannot work because of a disabling medical condition, financial struggles only add to the challenges already confronting you. The Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs provide monthly cash payments and access to medical insurance through Medicare and Medicaid for individuals with disabilities.
Our team focuses exclusively on disability law, making us highly knowledgeable about the eligibility requirements and the documentation needed for approval. We ensure that your application is free of errors and omissions, and supported by medical evidence and other relevant documentation to improve your chances of success.
Why add to your burden by taking on the laws, regulations, and complicated procedures of the application and disability evaluation process on your own as you try to qualify for SSDI and SSI benefits when you have help available? A Social Security disability attorney Texas residents trust and rely upon to fight for them can be your disability benefits advocate simply by contacting the GCC Law Firm.
Comprehensive Services For Social Security Disability Benefits In Texas
The two primary Social Security disability programs, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), offer financial support to individuals with disabling medical conditions. These programs provide monthly payments and access to healthcare services through Medicare or Medicaid. However, navigating the application and qualification processes is no simple task. That’s where an experienced SSI and SSDI lawyer in Texas from GCC Law makes a difference.
Eligibility for SSDI and SSI benefits involves meeting strict medical and non-medical requirements. For the SSDI program, you must have a sufficient work history with Social Security taxes paid on your earnings. If you don’t meet the work requirements or would receive only limited benefits, our SSI lawyer Texas evaluates your claim to explore SSI eligibility instead of or in conjunction with SSDI.
The SSI program does not require a work history, but it imposes strict limitations on your income and resources. For example, the value of resources you own may not exceed $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples.
Once we’ve established that you meet the non-medical eligibility criteria for SSDI or SSI, the focus shifts to the medical evidence supporting your claim. The Social Security Administration uses a strict standard to evaluate whether a medical condition qualifies as a disability.
The federal definition of disability is a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, preventing a person from doing substantial gainful activity (SGA), and expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death. It’s a standard that excludes short-term or partial disabilities, which makes it essential to present a comprehensive and well-documented case.
That’s why our Texas disability lawyers take the time to meticulously go over your medical history with you and review your medical records to ensure a strong claim supported by examinations and diagnostic test results to prove that you are disability according to the federal definition.
GCC Law Serves Communities Throughout Texas By Taking On The Challenge For Our Clients Of The Application And Disability Determination Process
Your Texas disability lawyer at GCC Law carefully reviews your disability benefits application, checking it for mistakes and omissions that could make it one of the more than two-thirds of the applications the Social Security Administration refuses to grant benefits to each year. Once it is submitted, the application is reviewed by the SSA to confirm that you meet the non-medical eligibility requirements.
Applications meeting non-medical criteria are sent to Disability Determination Services (DDS) offices, which are state agencies funded by the federal government to review your medical records to determine if you are disabled according to the federal standard. The Texas DDS is a part of the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
The DDS puts an application through a five-step sequential evaluation process to answer the following questions at each step:
- Step 1: Can You Perform Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)? This first step examines your work earnings to determine if they exceed the annually adjusted SGA threshold, an indicator of your ability to perform work activities for pay. If you do not work or work and earn less than the SGA limit, the process proceeds to the next step.
- Step 2: Do You Have a Severe Impairment? This step assesses the work activities that your medical condition allows you to perform without significant limitation. If your condition significantly limits your ability to perform work-related mental and physical activities, the process proceeds to the next step.
- Step 3: Do You Have A Listed Impairment? Social Security maintains a list of medical conditions considered disabling because they are severe. Meeting or equaling the criteria for a physical or mental impairment in the listings qualifies you for benefits. If not, the review advances to steps four and five.
- Step 4: Can You Perform Work Done in the Past? If your medical condition prevents you from returning to previous types of work, the evaluation proceeds to the final step.
- Step 5 Can You Adjust to Other Kinds of Work? The final step assesses whether your condition prevents you from performing other kinds of work. An Inability to adjust to alternative work establishes that you cannot work because of a disability.
Laws and regulations change, so it’s essential for a disability benefits lawyer Texas to know about them and how they may affect your claim. For example, recent changes to the work-history rules limit how far back applicants need to go in their work histories to demonstrate that they cannot perform work done in the past.
Results-Oriented Representation That Challenges Unfavorable Outcomes
GCC Law’s client-focused representation means that fighting to get you the disability benefits you need involves exploring options available when a decision does not go your way. We understand that the type of disability benefits lawyer Texas claimants want is one that provides them with options to challenge unfavorable outcomes.
The appeal process provides multiple levels for review of a denial of benefits. Each level offers you another opportunity to turn a denial into an approval. The appeal process includes:
- Reconsideration: At this initial appeal level, your claim is reviewed by a new examiner who was not involved in the original decision. Additional evidence submitted by your GCC attorney can make a critical difference in achieving a favorable outcome.
- Hearing: If reconsideration results in another denial, your case can proceed to a hearing before an administrative law judge. This stage allows your GCC attorney to present witnesses to testify in support of your claim. Updated medical evidence and other documentation may be submitted to support the claim.
- Appeals Council Review: An unfavorable decision at the hearing level can be further challenged by requesting a review by the Appeals Council. The Council may reverse the denial, send the case back for further review, or uphold the original decision.
- Federal Court Review: If all administrative levels of appeal are exhausted, you have the right to seek a review by a federal judge through a civil action filed in a United States District Court. This stage involves a comprehensive review of your claim and the legal arguments supporting it.
If a claim for SSDI or SSI is denied, it’s crucial to act quickly to challenge it. Appeals must be filed within 60 days of receiving a denial notice. Missing the appeal deadline can prevent you from pursuing a claim, no matter how strong the evidence supporting your eligibility may be. GCC Law Firm offers complimentary consultations to assess your case and explore your options.
A Texas Disability Lawyer Doing What It Takes To Make A Difference In The Outcome Of Your Claim
Social Security Administration data reveals that claimants with representation assisting them in the claim process have a success rate three times higher than those claimants who elect to take on the system on their own. At GCC Law Firm, our Texas disability lawyers bring a deep understanding of the SSDI and SSI processes to every case. We know what disability examiners look for and ensure that your application or appeal includes all necessary medical records and documentation.
While we cannot predict the outcome of your claim, we can promise to give it the attention it needs for the best possible chance of success. Disability law is all we do, and we’re passionate about helping Texans secure the benefits they need to move forward with confidence and dignity. Learn more about how an SSI and SSDI lawyer in Texas from the GCC Law Firm can help you by contacting us for a complimentary initial consultation.
Call Our Texas Social Security Disability Lawyers Today
If you need assistance with your SSDI claim in Texas, don’t hesitate to reach out to our experienced Social Security disability lawyers. We offer a free consultation to evaluate your case, discuss your rights and options, and determine your eligibility for SSDI benefits.
Contact GCC Law Firm today or fill out the form on our website to schedule your consultation
Call (479) 340-0002.