Social Security is a United States federal government program that does, among other things, provide a monthly income for those who have retired and those that are physically or mentally incapacitated and cannot work. Someone applying to Social Security in Kansas City for their retirement benefits would rarely need any legal assistance, the same cannot be said for those that are applying for disability benefits.
Although there is no requirement that states an application for disability benefits must be represented by an attorney, the truth is, the applicant stands a far better chance of eventually getting approved if they opt for legal assistance. Statistically, an applicant that has an attorney working with and for him has twice the chance of being approved should the application reach the hearing stage.
There are multiple stages when applying for Social Security in Kansas City; it starts with the initial application, the first step in the appeals process for the greatest majority that are denied benefits is a request for reconsideration which rarely results in approval. The next stage is a hearing in the presence of an Administrative Law Judge and from there; if necessary the application can be appealed to the Appeals Council.
When you reach the hearing stage you will get your first chance to actually meet with and discuss your situation with a person. At the hearing the ALJ will take into account any and all medical evidence that you can present, the judge will hear your testimony as well as the testimony of expert witnesses that can attest to your disability. The judge usually is supported by vocational experts, the judge, using your medical records and testimony will solicit the professional opinion of the vocation experts.
Your medical records:
The most important documentation you can have is objective medical reports; if your records are not complete or your treatment history seems to be inconsistent your claim may very well be denied by the judge. Perhaps the most important benefit of having an attorney is his or her ability to gather the proper records for submission to the court.
With their wealth of knowledge of and experience with Social Security in Kansas City your attorney will know what should be submitted. It is this knowledge that allows the attorney to decide in advance whether the existing information is sufficient or whether additional medical evidence should be gathered.
Along with the right medical support, your attorney will prepare you for your hearing; in this way you will know what to expect and the chances of your nerves causing you to make an error are far less.
There is little doubt that when you are applying for disability benefits having a lawyer intimate with Social Security in Kansas City is a real benefit. You are invited to discuss the details of your disability case with the Grundy Disability Group, LLC.
