Social Security Disability Appeals in Nashville
At Larry R. Williams, PLLC, our disability attorneys recommend the same thing to all of our clients whose first applications for Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are denied by the Social Security Administration (SSA): Apply again. More than half of disability applicants who appeal and go to a hearing with an administrative law judge (ALJ) are approved for benefits.
Despite these positive odds, many applicants give up after the first step. With the right attorney, you’ll know how to fight SSA denials using the correct medical reports, photographs, witness interviews, and more. During a hearing, you and your lawyer will have the opportunity to address a judge who is seeing the case through fresh eyes.
The ALJ doesn’t look at your previous appeals – he or she only looks at the evidence you provide during the hearing. That’s why hiring a prominent local disability injury attorney in Tennessee can help you. When given the opportunity to fight for our clients in a hearing, our attorneys use 35-plus years of courtroom experience to represent your case in its most compelling light.
Taking your Social Security Disability benefits case to a hearing is likely your best chance to win benefits. Larry R. Williams, PLLC, attorneys at law, won’t wait until the hearing to meet you – that’s too late to represent your case adequately. Our Nashville injury attorneys will familiarize you with the hearing process and what will happen, beginning with the VIPs of the courtroom.
People You’ll Meet During Your Appeal
Once you’ve acquired solid legal representation, the appeal process can begin. Throughout this lengthy process, you’ll meet a variety of different judges, SSA reps, and other important parties. Learning who’s who in an appeal can help you stay on top of your case.
Medical experts (MEs) are doctors, physicians, psychiatrists, or other professionals who testify in a hearing regarding their expert examination of your condition and medical records.
Vocational experts (VEs) help put the number of jobs you are unable to perform with certain impairments into perspective in front of the ALJ, who questions the VE. The VE can be a critical turning point in a hearing since he or she often discuss other jobs the claimant can work, disproving full disability.
Disability Determination Services (DDS) have agents who act as disability examiners. They research and collect medical evidence, examination results, work history, and the educational background of the claimant.
How to Improve Your Chances of Getting an Approval
One thing that might improve your chances of winning benefits is if you’re older than 50, since the SSA is more favorable toward individuals approaching advanced age. The SSA uses a medical-vocational grid to decide if a claimant at a certain age, with certain background criteria and a certain disability, is able to find work. In the grid, being older helps.
Proper documentation of all your conditions and injuries is very important when it comes to the SSA awarding you benefits. Your paperwork is the only thing an ALJ at a hearing has to go off. The more compelling your documentation of disability is, the more likely the ALJ will rule in your favor. Keep track of your case thoroughly on your own, and speak with your attorney if you feel lost.
Keeping accurate medical records of your complete history, including physical or mental examinations, throughout your disability case will help you stay on track and explain your disabilities with knowledge and confidence.
At Larry R. Williams, PLLC, we’re proud to represent people who suffer from health conditions and can’t work because of it. We’ve helped dozens of disability claimants appeal SSA denials and can help you next. Call us at (615) 256-8880 or contact us online to hear your options during an SSI appeal.