Top-Ranked Social Security Disability Attorneys in Lynchburg, VA
Our Law Firm Can Help You Win Your Disability Claim in Lynchburg and Get the Social Security Disability You Deserve
Dealing with the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) procedural system and adjudicative process is challenging under the best circumstances.
Seeking Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI) when you cannot work or perform daily activities because of a severe physical or mental health condition can be a nightmare. Indeed, denied disability claims average over 66 percent.
But our Lynchburg disability lawyers can help.
Although the Social Security Administration is a federal agency, having a Virginia SSD attorney familiar with Lynchburg disability claims – the local field office and the administrative law judges (ALJs) that hear cases here – may get you over the hurdle and receiving SSDI or SSI payments.
Call now to speak with a Lynchburg disability lawyer who can help you file for disability and prosecute your claim. The consultation is free, and there is no attorney’s fee unless we win your disability case.
What are Social Security Disability Benefits?
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are programs providing cash and medical assistance to people who meet specific non-medical and medical requirements.
SSDI pays benefits and provides medical treatment to disabled workers and their dependents. Its primary purpose is to replace some of the disabled workers’ income.
In contrast, SSI benefits adults and children who meet the definition of disability under the Social Security Act and have limited income and financial resources.
Social Security benefits are all or nothing. The SSA does not provide temporary total disability, temporary partial disability, or permanent partial disability benefits like workers compensation and veterans’ benefits systems do.
Do I Qualify for Disability Benefits?
You must meet strict eligibility rules to qualify for Social Security disability in Lynchburg and elsewhere. These requirements include the following:
- You must not be engaged in any substantial gainful activity (SGA). In other words, you cannot receive SSD while working and earning above a specific amount.
- You must have a medically determinable physical or mental condition that has lasted (or is expected to last) for one year or result in death.
- Your medical impairments (or a combination of them) prevent you from doing any job you have held in the past 15 years or performing a job that exists in significant numbers in the national economy, given your age, education, and acquired skills. Social Security’s Medical-Vocational Guidelines (the “Grid Rules”) make it easier to get approved for disability when you are 50 or older.
What Counts as a Disability?
Any medical condition, or combination of conditions, may qualify for Social Security disability if it meets the requirements in the section above or the criteria for a disorder in the listing of impairments.
That said, many of the disability claims we handle and win in Lynchburg and throughout Virginia and Maryland involve the following medical impairments:
- Injured workers who suffer back injuries, such as herniated discs, resulting in sciatica or spinal stenosis and the need for spinal fusion
- Traumatic brain injury and concussion victims, either from occupational injuries or car crashes, who develop post-concussion syndrome
- Anxiety
- Cardiovascular conditions (heart and lung disease)
- Vision loss
- Hearing loss
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Multiple sclerosis
- Torn rotator cuffs affecting the ability to reach overhead or lift and carry weight
- Hand and finger injuries affecting the ability to use the hands for gross or fine manipulation
- Children with ADHD or intellectual disabilities (learning problems) affecting their ability to get along with peers or progress in school
How Much Will I Receive if I Qualify for Social Security Disability?
Social Security disability payments are modest.
As of July 2023, Social Security paid an average monthly SSDI benefit of $1,486.80 to all disabled workers.
SSI payments are lower on average. For example, this year (2023), the maximum monthly SSI benefit is $914 (or $1,271 for an eligible individual with a spouse who qualifies for SSA). The average SSI payment, however, is less.
These amounts apply to disabled persons in Lynchburg, VA. No modifiers increase or reduce payments here.
Where is the Social Security Office in Lynchburg, VA?
The Lynchburg Social Security Office is located at 7618 Timberlake Rd., Lynchburg, VA, 24502, and may have a significant role in your disability claim.
First, you can make an appointment to apply for disability in person at the Lynchburg Social Security Office if it is your local Social Security Administration (SSA) field office.
The Lynchburg SSA Office is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Call 1-866-964-6142 or 1-800-325-0778 to schedule the appointment.
Second, your disability hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) will occur at the Lynchburg SSA Office or with an ALJ assigned to that office.
Our Lynchburg disability lawyers are familiar with the ALJs that hear and decide cases here, as Social Security’s Richmond Office of Hearing Operations (OHO) is the home base for most of these ALJs.
How Difficult Is It to Qualify for Social Security Disability?
Winning a disability claim in Lynchburg is challenging.
Administrative law judges in the Richmond OHO hear Lynchburg disability cases.
This group of judges collectively denies more claims than other ALJs in Virginia and the nation.
You must, therefore, develop evidence and present a solid case to become a Social Security disability beneficiary in Lynchburg.
How Can a Social Security Disability Attorney in Lynchburg Help Me?
The Social Security disability process often involves:
- Lots of paperwork (SSA 3373 Adult Function Reports, applications, work history reports)
- Multiple appeals
- Writing (pre-trial briefs, disability letters to doctors, and appellate briefs)
- Legal research (identifying applicable case law and regulations)
- Reviewing medical records
- Cross-examining adverse expert witnesses, such as vocational and medical experts hired by the Social Security Administration
- Public speaking if a trial is necessary
In addition, you must do these tasks within tight deadlines or risk starting the Social Security disability process over, losing the right to tens of thousands of dollars in back pay.
Instead of managing a case that determines whether you or your family will have financial security while battling injury, illness, or disease, you can turn to a disability attorney in Lynchburg for help:
- Completing the initial application for benefits with information that makes it difficult for Social Security to classify your job at a lower physical exertion level (such as sedentary/seated work)
- Reviewing denials to determine why Social Security rejected your application and what evidence you should develop to get approved for SSDI or SSI
- Filing the request for reconsideration or request for hearing within the appeal period
- Completing all paperwork that arises during the case
- Knowing what to expect and how to act when Social Security sends you to one of its doctors for a consultative examination (CE)
- Obtaining your medical records and reports (learn how to request them here)
- Presenting your case to the administrative law judge
- Examining supportive witnesses and cross-examining adverse witnesses at the hearing
- Filing a lawsuit against the SSA in federal district court after you exhaust all administrative appeals
- Establishing relationships with medical providers, nonprofits, and charities in Lynchburg for help with your family’s needs while your claim is pending
- Following up with Social Security to ensure you receive all payments (monthly benefits and back pay) in the Notice of Award
- And more
Medical Providers Who May Be Able to Help with Your Lynchburg Disability Case
Medical evidence is critical to winning your Social Security disability case.
Therefore, you must establish medical treatment (and continue to receive it) if you have applied (or are considering applying) for disability.
Here are some Lynchburg healthcare providers who may be able to provide treatment that helps you improve and qualify for SSDI or SSI:
Call a Social Security Disability Attorney to Handle Your Lynchburg Disability Claim
Disability can strike anyone at any age.
But you do not have to handle it alone.
If you cannot work because of a physical or mental condition, contact our Lynchburg disability lawyers to present the best case possible to get the SSDI or SSI benefits you deserve. These payments can provide much-needed financial support to you and your family.
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