Southern California Disability Claim Lawyers
For more information about a practice area, click on the heading.
Social Security Disability Eligibility
To be eligible for Social Security Disability, you must have physical or mental problems — or a combination of problems — severe enough to keep you from working in any regular paying job for at least 12 months.
Supplemental Security Income or SSI is a benefit program for people with low incomes who are also either disabled, blind, or over 65. You may also be entitled to SSI if your Social Security benefits are below a certain minimum level.
CALPERS / OCERS / LACERS Claims
There are many types of government and private employer retirement plans in Southern California that pay benefits to disabled employees. We represent people covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS), the Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System (LACERS), the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA), the Federal Employees' Retirement System-Disability Retirement and the Railroad Employee Retirement benefits.
Social Security Claims Process
Our lawyers can help you at any step in the process of applying for Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income: initial application, reconsideration, request for hearing and appeal.
If you can't work due to a physical impairment such as osteoarthritis or heart disease, you must also show that the impairment has prevented (or is expected to prevent) you from working for 12 continuous months.
If you are over age 50 and no longer able to do your previous job, it may be difficult to rehabilitate yourself to do something else. The Social Security Administration recognizes that you have probably done the same type of work for a long time and you may be less adaptable to new work situations.
Mental Disorder Disability Claims
It's very hard for the Social Security Administration to understand that mental disorders are legitimate disabilities because they can't see inside a person's head. The system doctor may say you are fine after a brief evaluation. It is our job to present your whole picture to Social Security.
Spinal Disorder Disability Claims
It often takes an experienced disability lawyer to prove to the Social Security Administration that pain from a back injury, nerve damage or degenerative disc disease is real.
When you file a Social Security Disability or SSI claim for a chronic impairment such as lupus or chronic fatigue syndrome, you may be sent to a doctor working for the system for an evaluation. However, everyone who has a chronic illness experiences good days and bad days. If their doctor sees you on a good day, your claim may be denied. We work to provide evidence of your true disabling condition.
Free Attorney Consultation - No Fees Unless We Win
To schedule an appointment with an experienced disability lawyer, call 1-562-219-4156 or toll-free at 1-866-764-0321, or fill out our simple contact form. There are no consultation fees and we charge no attorney's fee unless we help you obtain benefits.
