Obtaining Social Security disability (SSD) benefits can be crucial for your well-being if you are in ill and unable to work. But actually receiving those benefits can be a drawn-out, bureaucratic process and many people end up appealing an initial decision. That’s why you need the South Carolina SSD lawyers at Joye Law Firm working for you. For decades, we have helped South Carolinians like you navigate the federal government’s confusing application and appeals process so that you get the Social Security disability benefits you deserve as quickly as possible.
Talk With Our Social Security Disability Lawyers Today
The South Carolina Social Security disability attorneys at Joye Law Firm are ready to help you secure the benefits you are entitled to right now. Our lawyers and staff treat will treat you with respect, compassion and care. Since 1968, we have helped disabled people recover more than just money. We have also helped them regain the quality of life they deserve. We can help you, too.
Just Call Joye for a free consultation. Our compassionate South Carolina SSD lawyers can be reached by calling (877) 537-1920 or online.
Joye Law Firm has offices in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, but our skilled Social Security disability attorneys have successfully handled cases throughout South Carolina, including Florence, Richland County, Orangeburg, Columbia, Horry County (Conway and North Myrtle Beach), North Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Summerville.
Watch our Social Security Disability Video
Experience Counts
The lawyers at Joye Law Firm have the credentials and commitment to build a strong case on your behalf. We have more than 110 years of collective litigation experience, and several of our attorneys are recognized as Super Lawyers. In addition, Joye Law Firm has received an AV rating from the respected Martindale-Hubbell legal directory. Our firm also has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
While every case is different, and past results are in no way intended to imply that a similar result can be obtained in your case, past results obtained by a law firm provide information about the firm’s experience. For more details about the results obtained for our previous South Carolina clients, please click on the Our Results tab on the Joye Law Firm home page.
What You Need To Know About South Carolina SSD Benefits
Social Security disability benefits can provide vital assistance to workers who can no longer earn a living. However, the federal government outlines specific criteria that must be met before someone is declared eligible for SSD benefits.
First, you must be totally disabled. This means you have a condition that prevents you from performing substantial gainful work. The Social Security Administration requires evidence that:
- You cannot do work that you did before.
- Your disability has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death.
- You cannot adjust to any other type of employment because of your medical condition(s).
To qualify for SSD benefits, you also must have a history of employment. Generally, you can qualify if you have paid into the Social Security system for 40 quarters – 20 of which were in the last 10 years before you became disabled.
SSD Mental Illness And Physical Disability Claims Require Proof
Social Security benefits apply to both physical and mental disabilities. But it’s not enough to just have your doctor declare you disabled in order to receive SSD benefits. The Social Security Administration makes the ultimate decision regarding your disability based on the information that you provide in your claim.
If you have a mental illness, please understand that the SSA will probably scrutinize your disability claim more closely. You must provide solid medical evidence that your condition is disabling.
Common forms of mental illnesses that serve as the basis of a Social Security disability claim are:
- Depression
- Panic attacks (anxiety)
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
Our South Carolina Social Security Disability Lawyers Can Help You Apply
The SSD attorneys at Joye Law Firm can help you apply for benefits. Having a lawyer’s help can be beneficial because you will need to gather together a lot of documentation to support your claim. An attorney can assist with the paperwork and also advise you on what other information could be useful as the Social Security Administration considers your application.
It can take 3 to 5 months, or even longer, for the government to process your SSD claim. That’s why you should apply for benefits as soon as you can. Most people are eligible to file an application on the day after they become disabled and stop working. There is no mandatory waiting period for filing for SSD benefits. We also provide a feed of disability related news which you can check for anything new happening in disability.
Appeals Are Common With SSD Claims
Don’t be surprised if your application for Social Security disability is denied on your first try. About 60 percent of first-time claimants are not approved and end up requesting a reconsideration or a hearing in front of an administrative law judge.
Unfortunately, appeals are also a lengthy process. The average wait time for a hearing is about 540 days, according to the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives. But if approved, you will be able to collect back payment of benefits from the date your disability began.
You are not required to have an attorney to appeal an SSD claim. However, the entire process – especially appeals – can be complex and there are important deadlines that must be met. We strongly encourage you to have legal counsel prepare your case, both in the gathering of medical evidence and in working with vocational experts who can evaluate your impairments and testify about how they affect your ability to work.
Contact Our Charleston Social Security Disability Lawyers Today
The dedicated South Carolina benefits attorneys at Joye Law Firm can help you throughout the entire Social Security disability process, no matter if you are a first-time applicant or have already been denied. Just Call Joye at (877) 537-1920 or fill out our free online case evaluation form.
