Hire a Huntington, WV Social Security Disability Lawyer for SSDI

Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) could be numbing, just like an ailment an applicant may be going through. This was the experience of an Orange County resident who waited more than a year for her benefit.

Sally Greer was a professional educator and caretaker until her illnesses began taking their toll on her career. Her health started to decline in 2008 when she had difficulty breathing, and eventually developed pneumonia. No less than 40 doctors looked at her case but were unable to diagnose the source of her ailments.

To make matters worse, Sally began having a hard time remembering things, and even walking. Tests were inconclusive, and the mystery behind her condition remained unsolved. After a long struggle with her ailments, she decided she could no longer work and applied for SSDI. Not surprisingly, her initial application was denied. This is a situation that isn’t isolated to applicants like Sally in California. It’s common among applicants in other states, including West Virginia and North Carolina.

The waiting game

It normally takes at least eight months for an SSDI applicant to get a hearing schedule, depending on the details of the claim. In the event of a denial, the applicant has 60 days to file an appeal for reconsideration. In the case of a second denial, another 60 days will be given. Some applicants end up waiting for 19 months just to get scheduled for a hearing.

A few years back, the Social Security Administration devised a plan to reduce the number of pending cases by hiring more judges and support staff, establishing national hearing centers, and conducting hearings via video conferencing. Unfortunately, this effort has done little to improve the 7-month average waiting time across the country. For WV and NC applicants who may have had to face the waiting game, hiring a Huntington, WV social security disability lawyer like Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law would be their best bet.

Getting professional help

It was for Sally. After hiring a lawyer who is committed to assisting SSD applicants, her request was approved after 18 months. It was a long process but it got done in a fair amount of time, thanks to the efforts of her counsel. Even her lawyer agrees that Sally was lucky because elsewhere in the country, the waiting time takes years. Sally says if not for the support of her family and friends, plus the legal assistance, she would have easily given up on her application.

Residents of WV who are currently having the same problem with their SSDI, SSI and VA applications should not hesitate to consult Huntington, WV social security disability attorneys to help you get the benefits you so urgently need.

(Source: “Wait for Social Security disability benefits can be years long”, 08 December 2014, Orange County Register)