SSA Expands Online Services

Want to do some financial and retirement research from the comfort of your own home, using your own computer?

The Social Security Administration has just expanded the services available with a ‘my Social Security” account, available through the SSA. Workers may create personalized online accounts, permitting access to benefit verification letters, payment histories and earnings records.Access can start during the working years and continue throughout the time benefits are received.

It certainly beats trekking to an SSA office, or spending time on the phone.

Beneficiaries (for both Social Security and Supplement Security Income benefits) can retrieve an official benefit verification instantly online. This letter serves as proof of income for loans, mortgages and other housing, plus state or local benefits. People can also use the verification letter to prove current Medicare health insurance coverage, retirement or disability status and age. The information could also prove useful and timely to a Social Security attorney or disability attorney working to help someone apply for Social Security Disability benefits.

Those not yet receiving benefits who sign up for an account can get a personalized online statement, with earnings and benefit information, and estimates of future benefits. The website also includes links to other information, such as applying for retirement, Social Security disability benefits and Medicare.

The online service lets people conduct business with the SSA without having to visit a field office or make a phone call. There’s also no need to wait for a verification letter (Social Security process nearly 9 million requests for the letters in the past year) to arrive by mail. And online services free employees to focus on other tasks, rather than complete verification letter requests.

People 18 and older can sign up for an account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount . Once on the site, people must be able to provide information about themselves, and give answers to questions only they are likely to know. After completing a secure verification process, people create a “my Social Security” account with a unique user name and password, permitting them to access their information.

Don’t Lose Your Appeal for SSD in Chicago By Being Unprepared

If you have gone through all the trouble of apply for SSD in Chicago or SSI in Illinois, you don’t want to have your claim denied because you weren’t well prepared. When your claim is denied, you must begin the lengthy appeals process. This happens to many applicants for SSD in Chicago and SSI in Illinois. You mustn’t be discouraged; now you need to have your wits about you.

The first step is requesting a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). This hearing is very important, and a significant number of applicants for SSD and SSI ruin their chances of success by not carefully preparing for this hearing. To improve your chances of being approved for SSD or SSI, you should take the following steps. Even though doing these things won’t guarantee success, it will give you a better chance of approval.

Documentation is everything. When you apply for SSD in Chicago and SSI in Illinois, you must be able to prove that you are disabled and eligible for benefits. Medical records, your entire medical history, dates of doctor’s visits, medication lists, increasing or diminishing disability…all these things are vital to your claims for SSD in Chicago and SSI in Illinois. Get support statements from your physicians testifying to your disability.

Most importantly, hire a disability attorney in Chicago who has experience with SSD cases. While it is possible to do the appeal on your own, it is not advisable. Administrative law is very complicated, and there are often any procedures that must be followed perfectly to ensure you get legal relief. Not hiring an attorney may cost you your SSD or SSI. You need an advocate to not only help you prepare your documentation, but to stand up for your right to receive disability compensation today.

Cut Through the Red Tape With a Disability Attorney

Your disability affects many aspects of your life, and a disability attorney can help you with the legal implications of your injury or disability. Without an attorney, you may find your way barred by miles of red tape. That’s because disability law, particularly social security and other government agencies, can be hard to navigate without a disability lawyer. In order to ensure you receive the benefits you deserve, you should consider hiring an experienced social security attorney.

If you don’t have a disability lawyer, there is a greater chance your claim for disability benefits will be denied. Did you know that almost three-fourths the claims for social security disability claims are denied on first application? This is just one example of why a disability attorney is the right choice for you.

Those who don’t hire a disability lawyer find their claims denied because there was not enough documentation. A disability lawyer will know exactly what you need to put together to raise your chances of getting approved. Many people put off hiring a disability attorney until after their claim is already filed. Others don’t hire a disability lawyer until the appeals process begins.

Appealing your denial without a disability attorney is a mistake, because you have to cross every T, and your attorney will know exactly how to do that. The law is made up of the statutes on the books, case law, and administration decisions, and a disability attorney will help you make sense of all that. A disability lawyer works within the system to get you the results you need. Don’t risk drawing the process out longer than it has to be. With your attorney by your side, you can successfully navigate the system and get the compensation you deserve.

A Workers Compensation Attorney in Chicago Can Settle Your Case Successfully

Being injured on the job is no picnic, and no one knows that better than a qualified workers compensation attorney in Chicago. You may be worried that your injury will affect your employment opportunities, and that’s where a workers compensation lawyer can help. There are laws that protect your future employment and provide you with compensation for your injuries, and a workman’s compensation attorney in Chicago can help you understand these rights. You’ll want to file a workers compensation claim, which may be difficult without an attorney. You may be tempted to save your money and represent yourself, but it would be a mistake to proceed without a workers compensation attorney in Chicago.

Once your claim is filed, you may recover from your injuries and return to work, or, if your injury is more substantial, there may be long-term consequences that you should discuss with your lawyer. Temporary injuries like sprains or simple slip and fall instances are easier to recover from and therefore less complicated to deal with from a workers compensation standpoint, which means less for your workman’s comp attorney in Chicago to do. On the other hand, a long-term or permanent injury will require more legwork on the part of your workers compensation lawyer.

You may want to have your workman’s compensation attorney in Chicago negotiate for a settlement rather than take a risk in court. Settlement is a prime example of a situation where you need a workers compensation lawyer. A workers compensation attorney in Chicago will be educated in the best strategies to follow, and your workers comp lawyer will know the law inside and out. Don’t hire an attorney who is not a workers compensation lawyer. This area is complicated, and you need an experienced attorney in Chicago to make sure you get what you deserve.

Do Not Settle When You Hire a Chicago Disability Attorney

When you are facing a disability case in Chicago, you need consult with an attorney. Disability law is complicated, and you should never proceed with such an important legal matter without the help of a Chicago disability attorney. In some ways, finding a disability lawyer in Chicago is the easiest things in the world. Doing a quick search for ‘Chicago disability attorney’ will give you hundreds of results, but you should know that not all lawyers are created equal. 

Start your search for a disability lawyer in Chicago by asking family and friends for referrals. When you get a personal reference for a Chicago disability attorney, you know that you are getting someone you can trust. A personal friend or family member would never refer you to a disability lawyer in Chicago that they didn’t  believe to be high quality. Since disability law is complicated, remember to make sure you are consulting with a lawyer who has experience dealing with disability cases. 

Once you’ve collected personal recommendations for a Chicago disability lawyer, call the local bar association and ask for their referral service. A disability lawyer in Chicago who is a member in good standing of the bar association, and perhaps also a local organization for disability lawyers, is always a good choice for your disability case. Membership in professional organizations shows a commitment to keeping up with the law as it changes and grows. 

Do research on all your candidates before you make any decisions on hiring a disability lawyer in Chicago. You are hiring a Chicago disability attorney to do an important job for you, so never hire anyone without interviewing them first. Treat every candidate like a potential employee, and speak to them about their qualifications and experience. It is a good idea to ask them what they think about your case, as well, to see how your potential lawyer reasons and analyses the issues.