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MOST WORKERS ARE COVERED FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS

Social Security may pay you a benefit of up to $2,642 per month (2014) if you are unable to work for 1 year or more because of a physical or mental impairment.  You do not have to wait 1 year to file.  The requirement is that you must have an impairment that is expected to disable you for at least 12 consecutive months.  It is advisable to file right away because the process can take a long time.

You may also be eligible for benefits for a period of time before you file your application.  For example, if you became disabled in May of 2013 but did not file your application for benefits until June of 2014, you may be eligible for several months of retroactive pay.  If you have to wait several months while Social Security decides whether you are disabled, you can also recover "back pay" for the months you had to wait.  Retroactive pay and back pay are usually paid in a lump sum, whereas, future payments are made monthly.  The exact amount of the benefit payment is peculiar to the individual work record.

The first step is to file an application for disability benefits with Social Security.  This can be done online at www.socialsecurity.gov (benefits, apply for disability online).  Unfortunately, 72 percent of claims will be denied at this level.

If your claim is denied, you have 60 days to file an appeal or request a hearing.  About one-half of all cases that go to a hearing will be approved and most will receive back pay.  95 percent of claimants at hearings are represented by a professional advocate or attorney.  You cannot be charged a fee for representation unless you collect back pay or retroactive pay.

It is important to file an appeal within 60 days of receiving a notice of denial.  If you wait longer, you will probably lose all your rights to recover benefits under the claim. This means filing a new application and starting over--months or years of additional waiting while your new claim grinds slowly through the system.

My firm, the Forsythe Firm, was founded to represent disabled individuals in the Huntsville area who need to get Social Security disability benefits.  We only practice in the area of Social Security disability, which is our specialty.  We never charge a fee unless our client wins and recovers some form of back pay (retroactive pay).  If the case is not successful, all our work is free.

You may speak directly with me about your Social Security disability matter by calling our Huntsville office (below).

Charles W. Forsythe
Sr. Partner / Disability Specialist
The Forsythe Firm
7027 Old Madison Pike NW - Suite 108
Huntsville, AL 35806
PHONE (256) 799-0927

We represent claimants from all over North Alabama, including Huntsville, Athens, Madison, Decatur, Cullman, Florence, etc.  Our Nashville office represents claimants from Middle TN.  (615) 732-6159.

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