Parmele Law Firm

Determining whether your illness qualifies as a disability as defined by the Social Security Administration guidelines is not an easy task. For help making that determination, call our office to schedule a no-charge consultation to discuss your illness, and get help to find out what disability benefits you may be eligible to receive.

As a general rule, when the stakes are high, getting the very best attorney you can find is the smart choice. It gives you instant clout, wise counsel, and (more often than not) the best outcome for your case.

But when you’re disabled – and in financial trouble – you may be tempted to make a poor decision when choosing representation. You might select the most expensive attorney so you can win, only to end up paying all of your award in legal fees. Or, you might choose the least expensive route, only to find out the hard way that your chosen representative didn’t have the knowledge nor the skill to properly represent your case.

Because you may be tempted to choose the most expensive attorney or representative, the U.S. Government sets a limit – a cap – to the compensation that any attorney or representative can receive for assisting you in your Social Security disability claim. That cap is exactly the same for all attorneys and representatives under the Fee Agreement System. That means that you have the ability to hire the very best law firm to represent you – the one with the most skill, experience, and success handling Social Security disability claims – and it won’t cost any more than hiring the unskilled and inexperienced.

If you can’t work, and you haven’t applied for your Social Security disability benefits, you may soon find yourself financially disabled, as well. Contrary to what many worthy disabled people believe, Social Security disability benefits under Title II are not welfare, nor are they a handout. These are benefits that you have paid into the Social Security Trust Fund. In most cases, without assistance, your situation will only worsen. Under Title II, an individual who hasn’t worked for 5 years may lose their eligibility for Social Security Disability benefits.

If you qualify, Social Security disability insurance can provide you and your family with money until you get better, and will continue to pay you if you don’t. You’re entitled to benefits because you paid for them – and your employer matched them – out of every one of your paychecks.

By applying now instead of waiting, you can also become eligible for Medicare Part A (hospital benefits) and Part B (medical benefits) sooner – just 24 months after you begin receiving your Social Security disability insurance benefits, regardless of your age. That alone may be one of the most important reasons to apply. What most don’t realize is that health insurance through your employer doesn’t continue indefinitely. If you’re required to obtain your own health insurance, you may be uninsurable, or the costs for insurance unbearable.

Because the Social Security claims process takes months for successful claimants to receive their first payment – and sometimes years for those who require hearings and appeals – getting started early is the best choice. If you don’t apply early, your eligibility under Title II to receive Social Security disability benefits lapses five years after you stop working. The more that time goes by, the harder it is to prove your disability. Applying now is the best way to help guard against financial disaster, and help ensure your financial future.

How your case ends up may well be up to you. Make the call to the Parmele Law Firm today. Put our success on your side, and your future back into your hands. To contact us, click here.