FREE Case Evaluation

* required fields

Virginia Social Security Lawyer

If you become seriously ill or injured, you may not be able to work anymore. This spells financial disaster for the vast majority of us, and it is for this reason that Social Security was developed in the first place. The premise behind Social Security is that people should not have to live in destitution if they lose the ability to work. If you live in Virginia and you have been injured or have fallen ill and can no longer earn a living, contact a dedicated Virginia social security lawyer to discuss your rights and legal options.

There are 12.7 million people across the U.S. who are on Social Security disability, including many Virginians who are earning Social Security benefits. Most of these people are over 55 years old but under age 65 and have worked in the past. Many of these people were struck by illness or injury and ended up unable to work or support themselves and their family.

Social Security Disability Eligibility

Social Security uses evidence of five different criteria to help determine eligibility for Social Security disability. Each one of these criteria has a very specific legal definition that must be met in order to qualify. All five criteria must be met.  They are as follows:

1.  Are you working right now? In order to qualify for Social Security disability, you cannot be earning more than $1,070 per month through working.

2.  Is you medical condition severe? You do not qualify for Social Security unless you have a severe medical or mental condition. This condition must keep you from performing basic work-related activities.

3.  Is your condition on the list of disabling conditions?  Social Security has a list of types of disabilities and the symptoms of those disabilities that you must have in order to qualify.  In some cases, disabilities that are not listed may qualify, but it would have to be of a severity that is equal to a similar condition that is on the list.

4.  Can you do the work you did previously?  If you are not able to work in your chosen career because of your condition, you have met this requirement.  Examples of this are if you are a medical professional who suffers a brain injury that affects your cognitive abilities or if you are a laborer who becomes a physically disabled.

5.  Can you work any job? Not being able to not work your job is not enough.  In order to qualify for Social Security, you also have to show that you are unable to perform any job function based on your disability, age, or educational background.

For more information on Social Security eligibility requirements, please click here.

Application Procedure

The Social Security application process can be long and, most often, involves many appeals.  In Virginia, less than 40 percent of all application are approved in the initial review, according to the state’s Social Security office. An additional 17 percent accepted after appealing their initial rejection. You can read more about that process here. If denied again, there is a procedure that allows you appeal again to Social Security. The nature of these appeals is quite complex and a claim can take months, if not years, before it is accepted or ultimately rejected. This is why it is imperative that you speak with a Virginia social security attorney. Learn more about how an attorney can help file an SSDI claim here.

What Am I Entitled To?

The amount of money that you get from Social Security depends on the amount of money that you earned from work over the span of your working lifetime.  If you have never worked, or only have a minimum amount of work, a different payment schedule will be used. In the event of your death, your benefits may be passed on to a spouse or a child. Other people who qualify for disability benefits include the blind and wounded veterans.

Call A Virginia Social Security Attorney Today

If you fall ill or become disabled and can no longer work or support yourself, Social Security is meant to be a safety net to provide you and your family with financial support. This, however, is often a daunting and time-consuming process. You do not need to deal with the agency and appeals on your own, however. Attorneys at our firm will use their extensive experience to pursue your rightful benefits. Call today and schedule your free consultation so that our lawyers can begin helping you with your Social Security application and/or appeals.