Pittsburgh
Nationwide Supplemental Security Income Lawyer

On This Page

1. What Is Supplemental Security Income?
2. Being Disabled Can Eliminate Your Income
3. Understanding SSI Eligibility
4. Call Berger and Green Today

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

December 12, 2023

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

What Is Supplemental Security Income?

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is one of the Social Security-funded forms of financial relief for the disabled. If you or a loved one are disabled and would like to pursue disability benefits, then a Pittsburgh nationwide Supplemental Security Income lawyer can help you file a claim or handle an appeal. They may be able to help you obtain benefits to help with your treatment or other financial needs.

Call Berger and Green today at (412) 661-1400 to find out how we can help you with your claim or appeal for Supplemental Security Income.

Being Disabled Can Eliminate Your Income

Even if you enjoy your work thoroughly, being paid is a critical component of being employed. When you become disabled and are no longer able to work in the same capacity before being disabled, you may no longer be able to earn the same amount of income.

Depending on the nature of your disability, it could lead to:

• You being wrongfully terminated
• You being out of work for a year or longer
• You being without the paycheck you normally received from working
• You and your dependants facing significant financial hardship

If you are unable to work at all or can only work on a part-time basis because of your disability, then you may not have a clear way to pay your bills (let alone make non-essential purchases). The finance-related stress of being out of work could have its own negative effects on your mental and physical health.

Seeking disability benefits in an efficient manner could be of the utmost importance to you and your loved ones. A lawyer will help you file your claim and take the steps necessary to move your claim through to completion.

Many Disability Claims Are Rejected

You may find yourself considering Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as an alternative form of relief after having a Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claim rejected. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), the majority of such applications are not approved.

A lawyer can help you craft your Supplemental Security Income claim in the hopes that you will be approved. Even if your SSI claim is not initially approved, you may be able to achieve a different outcome through an appeal. Your lawyer will also help with the appeals process.

Know that initial rejection of your SSI claim is not necessarily the end of hope for you to obtain benefits. The appeals process exists for a reason, and your lawyer can ensure that your appeal is completed.

Speaking with the team for a Pittsburgh, PA nationwide Supplemental Security Income lawyer could help you better understand the benefits they provide. Call Berger and Green today at (412) 661-1400 for a free consultation about how we can help you or your loved one.

Understanding SSI Eligibility

The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides information about what Supplemental Security Income is, and how you could qualify for SSI benefits. Supplemental Security Income is intended to:

• Help disabled individuals with little to no income
• Help the blind and elderly specifically
• Use Federal tax revenue to help those who need to supplement their income

The criteria for qualifying for Supplemental Security Income may be different than those for SSDI. Because Social Security taxes pay for the cost of Social Security Disability Insurance, you generally have to qualify for SSDI through:

• Certain work requirements
• Certain work longevity thresholds

Such requirements may not apply to you if you are seeking SSI. It is possible that, depending on your work history, you could qualify for both SSI and SSDI. Your lawyer can speak with you about this possibility.

A Lawyer Can Handle Your SSI Claim or Appeal

There are many health conditions that may qualify you for benefits under Social Security Disability (SSD) programs. The SSA lists several of those conditions. The condition that designated you as disabled could also make it difficult for you to complete a claim or appeal on your own.

Hiring a lawyer to help with your claim or appeal could:

• Streamline the process of filing your claim or appeal (more helping hands)
• Allow you to focus on your treatment and recovery
• Put filing your claim, communicating with relevant officials, and ensuring your claim’s completion in the hands of your lawyer
• Give you access to the knowledge your lawyer has filing SSI claims and appeals
• Help you defend your rights

The process of completing a disability claim or appeal may be detail- and paperwork-intensive. A lawyer can help you keep your affairs organized. Your lawyer will also lead you through the process of filing an appeal with the Social Security Administration if necessary. The stages of an SSA appeal include:

• Reconsideration of your claim
• Requesting a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge, which your lawyer will do if there is sufficient time to do so
• Completing your hearing
• Undergoing a review by an Appeals Council
• Undergoing a Federal Court Review

Your lawyer will complete the various processes required to complete a claim or appeal. Your lawyer will also accompany you to your hearing and provide guidance on all relevant matters. Your lawyer may generally handle as much of your claim or appeal as possible so that you can be unbothered by the stresses of an SSI pursuit.

Call Berger and Green Today

If you are disabled, then you deserve an advocate to fight for the compensation that you deserve. The outcome of your Supplemental Security Income claim or appeal could hold much weight. A lawyer will be your ally in your pursuit of compensation.

Call Berger and Green today at (412) 661-1400 for more details of how a Pittsburgh nationwide Supplemental Security Income lawyer will help you with your claim or appeal.