Chicago Social Security Disability Benefits Lawyer

Social Security Disability Benefits Attorney Serving Lake and Cook Counties

Applying for Social Security Disability can be a difficult process. Once you have lodged your application with a claims representative, the Social Security Administration (SSA) processes the application. Typically, after you have applied for Social Security Disability benefits, you can expect to wait at least a few months for a decision. Exact wait times are hard to predict because the program has no set deadlines for application processing or appeals.

After your Social Security Disability Benefits application is received, the SSA reviews the application to ensure you meet all the technical requirements. If so, the application is forwarded to the Illinois Bureau of Disability Determination Services (DDS) for further consideration. Once in the hands of the Illinois DDS, it becomes part of the caseload for one of their disability examiners. From there, the disability examiner gathers and reviews the evidence to determine in what ways the applicant is functionally impaired physically, mentally or both.

The first step for the disability examiner is to review the medical evidence presented in the application to determine if you have a condition that matches one of those found in the SSA listing of impairments. If the disability examiner finds a match, your application can be approved on that basis alone. Unfortunately, the conditions in the SSA listings are very specific and many claimants will not have an initial match. Most applications require further review.

The next step is for the disability examiner to review your medical and work history and evaluate whether or not you have a disabling condition. At this point, you may receive a notification from the Illinois DDS requesting further information and/or asking that you report for a consultative examination (CE). To avoid delays in your case, it is important that you promptly provide all requested information and keep your appointment for the CE. After the disability examiner has received and reviewed all additional information, an eligibility determination is made.

After I Have Applied for Social Security Disability Benefits, What Are My Chances of Being Approved?

SSDI approval rates in Illinois vary by region, but on average, around 30% of claimants are approved at the initial application level. For people who are over age 50, the approval rate is slightly higher. If you are denied Social Security Disability, there is an appeal process in place to have your claim reconsidered. However, approval rates at the reconsideration level are even lower than at the initial application level. If denied for reconsideration, the next step is to have your case heard before an Administrative Law Judge. At this point, it is helpful to have an experienced Illinois Social Security Disability Benefits lawyer at the hearing with you to effectively present your case.

At Pearson Disability Law, LLC, our singular mission is to help individuals in Chicagoland and throughout Illinois qualify for disability benefits. Managing attorney Jonathan L. Pearson has helped thousands of individuals secure the benefits they deserve. Attorney Pearson is a Chicago Bar Association member and a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR). When you work with him, you receive personalized attention to your case and you pay no upfront attorney fees; he only gets paid if you win your case. If you have applied for Social Security Disability Benefits in Illinois, contact our office today at 312-999-0999 for a free case evaluation.