Altoona
Long Term Disability Lawyer

On This Page

1. How Can a Long-Term Disability Lawyer Help Me?
2. Common Forms of Long-Term Disability
3. Proving That You are Eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance
4. Types of Social Security Disability
5. The Stages of a Disability Claim
6. Don’t Hesitate To Contact Berger and Green Today

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

April 04, 2022

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

Long-term disabilities that prevent you from working can come in many forms, from arthritis to lower-body paralysis. What’s important, though, is that these conditions can prevent you from working. Without a consistent income, it can be difficult to make ends meet.

Luckily, if your condition prevents you from working, you could receive Social Security Disability Insurance. If you need your initial application reviewed, or assistance with disputing your denial, our legal team serving Altoona, Pennsylvania, can help.  

How Can a Long-Term Disability Lawyer Help Me?

Our legal team at Berger and Green has 40 years of legal experience. This experience means we fully understand the ins and outs of long-term disability law. Our services are designed to meet you where you are:

• We can review your initial Social Security Disability application.
• We can help you identify gaps in your application so that it meets the Social Security Administration’s requirements.
• We can file documents for a reconsideration or appeal if your claim was denied.
• We can bring your case to appeals or federal court if needed.

Testimonials

Providing results for our clients is what we do. Our previous case results have led many of our clients to leave positive reviews. They extoll our compassion, efficiency, and work ethic: 

• “Berger and Green are extremely professional and very experienced working with Social Security benefits. They sincerely believe in helping others and because of Berger and Green, my case ended successfully. These benefits have changed my life and I don’t have to worry anymore.” – Joe L.
• “The lawyers at Berger and Green were extremely helpful and professional. They were there for me whenever I needed them. I have recommended them to several friends and each time I get great feedback. They truly care about you as an individual, not as a number.” – Cindy M.

Our Services Cost Nothing Upfront

Our legal services won’t cost you a cent up front. We offer free case evaluations to our clients. During this process will analyze your case and determine its validity. Our team also works on contingency. This means that if we don’t win your case, we won’t receive payment. 

Common Forms of Long-Term Disability

A range of disabilities can prevent you from joining or re-entering the workforce. They can include:

• Arthritis
• Mental health problems, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression
• Cancer
• Blood disorders
• Back or spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Endocrine disorders
• Speech and sense disorders
• Congenital disorders that affect multiple parts of the body

This is not an exhaustive list of long-term disabilities. Other injuries or medical conditions can lead to disability. That said, our team at Berger and Green is here to help you better understand your options. 

Proving That You are Eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance

Put simply, eligibility for Social Security Disability insurance is based on two factors:

• You must prove that your condition is permanent, long-term, or terminal.
• You must also prove that your condition prevents you from working.

The Social Security Administration uses two metrics to determine eligibility:

Published Impairment Listings

The Social Security Administration keeps a list of published impairments, also known as the Blue Book. In the Blue Book is a list of disabilities. If your condition matches one of these conditions, the likelihood of you receiving Social Security Disability will increase.

During the application process, we can review your documents to ensure that the Social Security Administration has adequate information about your medical history.

Residual Functional Capacity (RFC)

Residual functional capacity provides another route to securing Social Security Disability insurance. You can qualify for disability via residual functional capacity even if your condition doesn’t appear in the Blue Book.

By using the residual functional capacity evaluation, the Social Security Administration will determine if you can participate in the workforce. If they find that you cannot work, you’ll likely receive disability insurance. 

Types of Social Security Disability

There are two types of Social Security Disability. Each is designed to support people in different situations. You must be disabled to qualify for either form of Social Security Disability:

Social Security Disability Insurance

Social Security Disability Insurance functions like any other insurance product. To receive its benefits, you must have already paid for it through taxation. To determine if you are eligible, the SSA will look at your earnings from work prior to your disability.

Earnings are used to calculate work credits. Typically, 20 credits, which is about five years of work, is enough to qualify. Younger people may need fewer credits.

Supplemental Security Income

Supplemental Security Income doesn’t take your previous work experience into account. Instead, the SSA will analyze your current financial situation to see if you qualify. This program is for people who are both disabled and have low or zero income.

To complete the Supplemental Security Income application, you’ll need to list all your assets, which will include cash, investments, valuables, and personal belongings. During this step, our team can review your application to make sure that you don’t miss any important information.

The Stages of a Disability Claim

There are four steps to applying for Social Security Disability benefits:

• Application: During this step, you’ll submit either a Social Security Disability claim or a Supplemental Security Income claim.
• Appeal: If your application is denied, you can request an appeal. The deadline for appeals is typically 60 days after your denial. You must include documentation relevant to your case during an appeal.
• Reconsideration: During reconsideration, a new caseworker will review your case. They’ll mail you their decision after a decision is made. 
• Hearing: If your case is denied again, you can request a hearing. During the hearing, an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will review the evidence associated with your case. A lawyer can represent you at your hearing.

While most qualified applicants will have their case resolved within these steps, you may need to take further action if your case continues to get denied. Our team can represent you if your case needs to go to an appeals council or federal court. 

Don’t Hesitate To Contact Berger and Green Today

Our lawyers serving Altoona, Pennsylvania, are ready to assist. We care about your case, and we’re ready to exhaust every option. We’ll be able to help regardless of the status of your case, whether it’s your initial application or an appeal.

You can sign up for a free case evaluation on our website.