Goleta, CA Social Security Attorneys | Goleta, CA Social Security Lawyers | Santa Barbara County, California Social Security SSI SSDI Law Firms

Contact a Social Security lawyer in Goleta, California today
 

Can’t work because you have a disability? Thankfully, the social security system provides a safety net to many people. If you qualify for social security, you may be entitled to a monthly check and other benefits such as medical care, food stamps, and other assistance from your state. Increase your chances of qualifying by working with an experienced Goleta social security attorney now. Don’t wait. Contact an experienced Goleta social security disability attorney today by filling out the questionnaire in this page.
 

The importance of winning your SSI or SSDI claim
 

Approximately 65% or more initial applicants are denied social security benefits.  An experienced Goleta social security lawyer can walk you through the application process. If you have been denied, he or she can walk you through the appeal process. Your lawyer should have ample experienced understanding what the social security administration is looking for when they review your application. In addition, your attorney can best highlight your condition so that the true nature of your disability is best understood. The difference between winning your social security claim and losing your social security claim are often dramatic. For example, without an alternative source of income, and without the ability to work (due to disability), many people face homelessness and hunger. The relief provided by the monthly payments from SSI and SSDI claims provide a necessary security blanket. In some cases, claimants may be entitled to medical care through the Medicaid or Medicare systems.
 

How do people afford to pay qualified Goleta Social Security lawyers?
 

You do not have to have a pool of money to afford a social security lawyer. The usual fee structure of a social security lawyer is designed so that it is affordable for people who are not employed. The reason why: you do not pay a Social Security lawyer unless he or she wins your claim. That means they only get paid if you get paid. Your social security attorney is limited in how much he or she can charge. That is because the federal government has capped attorney fees in these cases. Specifically, the attorney cannot charge more than 25% of your back pay, up to a total of $6,000. Even then, the government has to approve the final award of attorney fees. So, a claimant is always getting a fair deal. Contacting you Goleta Social Security lawyer is as easy as filling out the questionnaire in the webpage.
 

Learning about the SSI and SSDI programs
 

The Social Security system was created in part, to provide disability payments to our most vulnerable citizens: those who cannot work due to an injury. The injury must keep you from working for at least a year or more. Under the system, there are two types of disability programs: SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) and SSI (Supplemental Security Income). Both are explained below.

1. What is the Standard for Disability in Goleta, California? - To receive disability benefits for Social Security Disability you must meet the Social Security Administration's definition of disability.
   1. The term disability is that you are unable to engage in “substantial gainful activity” [SGA] because of a medically physical or mental impairment which has lasted, or is expected to last, for at least 12 months, or is expected to result in your death.
2. If you are working in or around Goleta, California is that a factor? - If you are working in Goleta and performing SGA, then you are considered able to work and not disabled. In 2012, the SGA limit is $1010 (after taxes) per month. If you earn more than $1010 per month, you are probably not eligible, unless there are special circumstances;
3. Do You Have a Severe Impairment? - You must have a medical problem which significantly limits your physical or mental ability to perform basic work activities. The impairment must be expected to last for 12 months or end in death;
4. Does Your Medical Condition Match One of SSA’s Listed Impairments? - SSA has a list of medical conditions ["Listing of Impairments."] that describes medical conditions so severe that SSA considers people who have the conditions disabled;
   1. If your condition does not meet or equal one of the conditions in the Listing of Impairments, then you must ask:
      1. Despite Your Medical Condition, Are You Able to Do Work You Did in the Past? - SSA determines what you are able to do despite your medical condition. This is called the Residual Functional Capacity (RFC). SSA compares your RFC with the physical and mental demands of your past jobs. If you are physically and mentally able to do a job that you have held within the last fifteen years, then SSA considers you "not disabled." However, if you are not able to perform any of your past jobs, then ask:
5. Despite Your Medical Condition, Are You Able to Do Other Work? - If you cannot perform your past work, then SSA decides whether you are able to perform other types of work.
    

Can Children in Goleta, CA Qualify for Disability Benefits? Yes, but What is the Criteria?
 

Financially, needy children under age 18 who have serious medical conditions may be eligible for Children's SSI. A child is disabled for SSI if the child is not working and earning more than the SGA level and has a medical condition or combination of conditions that cause "marked and severe functional limitations." Medical evidence documenting the child's medical condition is essential.
 

Do you qualify for SSDI? – Work with a Knowledgeable Goleta, California Disability Insurance Attorney Soon

Claimants can qualify for SSDI if they are disabled and have previously paid into the social security system through their taxes. So, you must have worked and paid social security taxes to qualify. The government also requires you to have worked a percentage of the previous years, contingent on your age. Some SSDI claimants also qualify for Medicare if they are disabled under the SSDI program for 2 years. Learn more by contacting an experienced SSDI attorney.
 

SSI: You may qualify - Reach a qualified Goleta Disability Attorney
 

SSI is paid out like welfare, meaning you cannot earn over a certain amount of money to qualify. In addition, you need to be disabled and unable to work. SSI pays out a smaller amount of money than SSDI, but unlike SSDI, you are not required to have paid into the Social Security system to qualify for payments. In addition, SSI recipients qualify for medical care through Medicaid. To contact an experienced Goleta SSI lawyer, fill out the questionnaire in this website.
 

Application to Appeal: the process - Goleta, CA Disability Appeal Lawyer
 

Applicants can begin the process in multiple ways: online, over the phone, and in person. The government takes around four to six months to review your case. Once you get your results, you will either receive a notice of payments, or you will be denied. In which case, you can appeal the decision in person or have your attorney appear on your behalf.
 

The list below contains a few examples of the types of illnesses and injuries that have qualified previous applicants for a disability:
 

Local SSA Office of Goleta, CA
 

Low Cost Hospitals near Goleta, California
 

Hospitals near Goleta, CA
 

Goleta social security lawyers serve clients throughout Southern California, including Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Camarillo, Carpintera, El Paso de Robles, Fillmore, Goleta, Isla Vista, Lompoc, Los alamos, Los Osos, Moorpark, Nipomo, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Solvang, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, and other communities in Santa Barbara County.