Albany NY Social Security Attorneys | Albany County, New York | Albany Social Security Law Firms
Need a Social Security Disability Lawyer?
Are you disabled and unable to work? Are you thinking about applying for Social Security benefits? Or has your SSI or SSDI application already been denied? Do you live in or around the Albany, New York area? If so, then you may need to speak with an experienced Albany Social Security attorney. Albany Social Security lawyers/law firms help disabled people receive the Social Security benefits that they are entitled to.
You can contact a Social Security disability attorney by filling out the questionnaire on the right. By doing so, a SSI/SSDI attorney will contact you to discuss whether or not you should seek representation.
There are more than a million people living in and around the counties that make up our Capital Region. Our rich history is a tale of hard work from a diverse immigrant population working in agriculture, manufacturing and finance. For some of our population a disability has limited their ability to join the rest of the workforce and to provide for themselves and their families. In the city of Albany alone, between 2000 and 4000 individuals are homeless with many sleeping on the streets. Social Security benefits can mean the difference between the security of a home and the terrifying possibility of homelessness.
The Difference Between Winning Your SSI/SSDI Claim and Losing It
Statistically, between 65% and 70% of initial applications are denied nationally. The Social Security safety net is in place so that the at-risk population can achieve the basic needs of housing and life saving medical care. Winning your claim gives you access to those important benefits. A lawyer with knowledge of how the Social Security Disability claims process works is critical. That legal experience can greatly improve your chances of success. Get an experienced Albany Social Security Disability Lawyer who can help you with your application and/or hearing process.
We all know the spiral effect of lost income. The consequences become more expensive and more perilous each passing day. That sinking feeling is multiplied when it comes to the paperwork and waiting time the Social Security Claims process requires. With all of that red tape, it is no wonder that the success rate of initial claims is low. A denial when so much hangs in the balance can mean the knock-out blow for someone already on the ropes. A Social Security Disability Attorney can help you correct your mistakes the first time, and lead you through the maze of red tape, often with no out-of-pocket expense.
How Much Does an Albany Social Security Lawyer Cost?
Each lawyer charges his/her own rates. However, most SSI/SSDI attorneys charge a “contingency fee” which means they get paid when you win your case. Good for you, the government has limited how much a SSI/SSDI lawyers can charge in this contingency fee in most cases: generally, they can only charge 25% of your back pay (benefits previously owed to you), up to a maximum of $6,000. In other words, government rules protect SSI/SSDI applicants from being taken advantage of. For more information, click here.
About the Social Security System: What is it?
The social security system performs two primary functions: (1) it provides monthly payments to people who are unable to work because of a disability (SSDI & SSI), and (2) it provides retirement benefits.
- “SSDI”, or Social Security Disability Income, is paid to people who are disabled, and based on their past work history, have earned a sufficient amount of credit.
- “SSI”, or Supplemental Security Income, is a program that pays adults or children who are disabled and unable to work, and who do not qualify for SSDI payments.
In order to qualify for either SSDI or SSI, the claimant must prove to the Social Security Administration that he/she is disabled – a very difficult and complex process. It can be a huge advantage to have an experienced Albany SSI/SSDI attorney on your side.
Your Disability
Disability takes many forms. A walk from Downtown through Lincoln Park means an encounter with people that, although able bodied, suffer from mental health disabilities that prevent them from working. On the other hand, a trip to Melrose can mean encountering households in which disabled adult children live with parents past retirement age. As New Yorkers we think of disabilities in general terms that encompass many different people and qualities. Everyone from the hyperactive child to the polio victim, the Veteran that lost a leg or the grocery store worker with Down ’s syndrome seems to fit our definition of disabled. However, for the Social Security Administration disability means a very specific set of requirements that must be independently verified in order to qualify for benefits.
What Kind of Disability Qualifies Someone to Receive Social Security Benefits?
Every case depends on its specific facts. There is no absolute list of disabilities that will categorize your ailment as a qualified disability. However, the general criteria are that (1) you cannot perform work that you did before, (2) the government decides that you cannot do other work because of your medical condition, and (3) you disability is expected to result in death or last for at least one year. The following types of medical conditions have been recognized by the Social Security Administration:
- Cerebral Palsy
- Diabetes mellitus
- Mental health problems: Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, PTSD Schizophrenia, Mental retardation
- Auto Immune diseases
- Cancer
- Migraines
- Orthopedic injuries
- Back problems
- Arthritis
- Blood Disorders
- Sleep Disorders
- Stomach, intestine and liver disorders
- Auto Immune diseases
Contact an Albany Social Security Attorney Now to Help You
Being a part of the community is an important step in achieving happiness in life. Those that are prevented from working because of a disability deserve to function as active members of the Capital Region community. For them, receiving SSI/SSDI benefits can mean getting the medical equipment that allows them to leave their home for a movie on Delaware Avenue, or to buy healthy food at the Farmers’ Market. These benefits can mean the difference between enjoying a sunny day at Washington Park instead of struggling to keep warm while sleeping on its park benches. The security that SSI/SSDI benefits provide allows members of our community to come out of the shadows and live in the sunlight with the rest of Albany and our Capital Area.
Resources
Local Offices Social Security Offices
Social Security
Room 430 Federal Building
1 Clinton Avenue
Albany, New York 12207
(866) 253-9183
(518) 431-4050
Social Security
8th Floor
One Broadway Center
Schenectady, New York 12305
(866) 964-1296
(518) 382-9489
Social Security
747 Warren Street
Hudson, New York 12534
(877) 828-1691
(800) 325-0778
Hospitals
Albany Medical Center Hospital
43 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, New York 12208
(518) 262-8279
Samuel S. Stratton VA Medical Center
113 Holland Avenue
Albany, New York 12208
(518) 626-5000
St. Peter's Hospital
315 South Manning Boulevard
Albany, New York 12208
(518) 525-1550
Local Agencies
Albany Helping Hands Homeless Shelter
Homeless and Travelers Aid Society
Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless
Albany Social Security Disability Attorneys that receive your submitted information can help you through the social security application and hear process in Albany, New Scotland, Buckingham Lake - Crestwood, West Hill, Pine Hills, South End, Arbor Hill, Downtown Albany, Beverwyck, Winchester Gables, Whitehall, Melrose, Westland Hills Park, Roessleville, Menands, Laudonville, Siena, Newtonville and Albany County, Rensselear County and Schenectady County.