Farrell
Social Security Disability Lawyer

On This Page

1. SSDI and SSI: Which One Is Right for Me?
2. What Benefits Could I Get from the SSA?
3. The SSA Will Ask These Questions When Reviewing Your Eligibility for Benefits
4. We’re Ready to Guide You Through Each Stage of the Claims Process
5. Your Social Security Disability Lawyer Serving Farrell Can Manage Your Case
6. Talk to Our Social Security Disability Team Serving Farrell Today

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

October 10, 2022

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

If you’re living with a disability that affects your financial stability, you might be entitled to disability benefits. These benefits could help you replace the wages you lost following your disability. These benefits could come through two separate programs: Social Security Disability (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). But how can you secure approval?

You can partner with a Farrell Social Security Disability lawyer from Berger and Green. Our team has resolved thousands of cases like yours in the 40 years we’ve helped people like you. We offer free case evaluations where we can explain your options.

SSDI and SSI: Which One Is Right for Me?

The two disability programs offered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) have some significant differences. The main differences are:

SSDI Operates on a Work Credit-Based System

SSDI provides monetary support for people who worked jobs that paid Social Security taxes. In 2022, you get one work credit for every $1,510 you make. How many work credits you need depends on your age. Older individuals require more work credits than younger people.

SSI Depends on Your Financial Resources

SSI is unrelated to your prior work history. This program covers low-income individuals who lack the resources to support themselves due to their disabilities. There is a strict income threshold that applies to these benefits. In 2022, you cannot have more than $2,000 in countable assets as an individual and qualify for SSI.

What Benefits Could I Get from the SSA?

If the SSA approves your disability claim, you can get monthly cash benefits. These benefits change from year to year and will vary by program.

SSI payments have a monthly federal maximum, although payments are reduced if you earn income. Supplemental SSI benefits are available in Pennsylvania, which can impact how much you receive each month. SSDI payments vary from individual to individual, as work history and income determine benefits.

SSA also offers healthcare benefits to those eligible for SSI and SSDI programs. This means you can access medical care at little to no cost.

The SSA Will Ask These Questions When Reviewing Your Eligibility for Benefits

When evaluating your application for benefits, the SSA will ask:

• Are you working?
• Is your disability “severe”?
• Is your medical condition considered disabling?
• Can you do the work you did previously?
• Can you do any other type of work?

The answers to these questions will let the SSA know if your condition merits benefits. The information you provide with your application, such as your imaging scans and lab test results, can help the SSA when assessing your condition.

We’re Ready to Guide You Through Each Stage of the Claims Process

Berger and Green will be by your side through each phase of the application and appeals process. It takes the SSA about three to five months to process a claim. Ideally, within that period, the SSA will award the benefits you need to continue with your life.

If not, however, you can file an appeal with the SSA. This process involves:

• Reconsideration. You can ask another person from the SSA to look over your application. You can submit new evidence to strengthen your case.
• A hearing by an Administrative Law Judge. Still, if the SSA denies your application, you can request a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Your attorney will prepare you for your Social Security disability hearing.
• The Appeals Council. If the ALJ did not approve your application, you can submit an appeal to the Appeals Council. It may approve your application or send it back to an ALJ for review.
• Federal Court review. You can file a civil action in federal court if the previous steps do not yield approval.

It’s not the end of the road if the SSA denies your application for benefits. In fact, it rejects about 67 percent of applications upon their initial submission. We’re here to offer legal support during your fight for benefits. We encourage you to not give up if your application is denied.  Call our office to learn about your options.

Your Social Security Disability Lawyer Serving Farrell Can Manage Your Case

You and our team have one goal in common: securing the benefits you’re entitled to receive. Here’s how we plan to help you:

Explain Your Legal Options

We will help you understand the benefits you may be eligible for and your next steps in the disability application and appeals process. We want you to know everything about your options moving forward. Your lawyer can explain what benefits you can seek, how long it takes the SSA to process your claim, and other information.

Explain What Information Could Benefit Your Application

You need the information to secure approval of benefits from the SSA. This information includes:

• Your birth certificate
• Proof of your citizenship (if you were born outside of the U.S.)
• Military discharge papers (if you served before 1968)
• W-2 forms and other related tax information
• Evidence that proves you have a disability, such as imaging scans

If the SSA already denied your claim, it should have included a reason why. Our team can review the reason for your application’s denial and suggest what information can support your claim. We want to do everything in our power to secure your well-being and future.

Represent You at Any Hearings

The SSA may ask that you attend a hearing where it can assess your situation. We understand this can be challenging to think about. Yet, you’re not alone in this process. Berger and Green can be by your side as you pursue benefits. We will represent you in all necessary hearings and fight for what you need.

Talk to Our Social Security Disability Team Serving Farrell Today

Our firm is dedicated to advocating for the disabled, and we are proud of the work that we do. We are ready to aggressively pursue the benefits you deserve, and the reviews from our previous clients speak for themselves.

If you are ready to pursue benefits, the team at Berger and Green is here to help. Call today to begin your free consultation.