Unlike many firms, Levine Benjamin Law firm will file your disability claim for you.
Apply for Social Security Disability in Detroit
You can’t work, and monthly checks from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) would be a lifesaver.
So, you look up how to apply for disability benefits in Detroit, only to find that the Social Security Disability application is a complicated burden on your time and energy.
You search for help. You call a few Detroit disability lawyers. But they won’t take your case.
Why? They say you should apply for Social Security Disability on your own and call back when you’re denied.
To the attorneys at Levine Benjamin Law Firm, that’s not good enough.
We’re one of the few firms that strongly believe in helping you from the very beginning. We have people whose only job is building your initial application for benefits. We take care of filing, so you can focus on your health
This is what we mean when we say, “From applying to appealing, we help you every step of the way.”
Levine Benjamin has helped more than 80,000 people win benefits across Michigan. This could feel like a strange process for you, but we know how to apply for disability in Detroit through and through.
We’re often top in Michigan for winning the most Social Security Disability benefits for our clients. We can help you, too.
What would you like to do?
Why Get a Lawyer to Apply for Social Security Disability?
When you apply for disability in Detroit, you have to provide pages of answers about your life. You need documentation that shows you qualify, including records of your medical treatment and work history.
Even a minor mistake can hurt your chances of winning benefits or cause a delay later on. Winning benefits is hard. Social Security denies about 80 percent of people on their first try.
You have to meet a strict definition of disability: Proving that health problems make it impossible for you to work any job, and that your condition will last at least a year.
Your application must be:
- Accurate: Be frank about your health problems. Don’t overstate anything, but don’t shy away from explaining how hard your situation is.
- Complete: Fill out everything the best you can and make sure to include records of doctor visits and other evidence.
- Prompt: Apply for benefits as soon as you know you can’t work. When you’re awarded benefits, you get back benefits covering a period that starts with your application. So it’s best to file as soon as possible.
At Levine Benjamin, we not only help you decide if you qualify for disability benefits. We will also file your claim for you. This gives you the best chance at winning benefits. The earlier you get us involved, the better.
Start by having our Detroit disability attorneys do a free evaluation of what you’ll need for your Social Security Disability application.
How to Apply for Disability in Detroit
When you’re applying for Social Security Disability benefits, it helps to gather key information you need before you sit down to fill out forms. This includes:
- Contact information for doctors you’ve seen and clinics and hospitals you’ve visited
- Dates of doctor’s appointments and procedures
- Your own description of your symptoms
- Your own explanation of how your symptoms limit your daily life
- Dates of your recent jobs
- Details of your job duties and how your condition interfered with them
- When you had to stop working
- Whether you’re still working any amount
It feels overwhelming, but this is why the Detroit and Michigan disability attorneys at Levine Benjamin are here to guide you through the benefits process.
With our lawyers on board, you don’t have to worry about getting every single date right and stressing over every page of paperwork.
We’ll help you get medical records you need from your doctors. We’ll make sure Social Security gets the information they need. We’ll make sure your forms are done right and that you’re presenting your claim in the strongest possible way.
Levine Benjamin is on your side from beginning to end. We’ll show you how to apply for disability, and if you need to appeal a denial, we’ll handle that with the same attention to detail.
And we don’t charge any attorney fees until you win benefits—and you can live with more stability and peace.
Applying for Social Security Disability FAQs
Do I have a strong case for Social Security Disability?
If you can’t work for the long term because of health problems, you could qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. You must be unable to work your most recent jobs, or any other jobs that your training, background and age might allow. You can have just about any type of health problem and be eligible for disability benefits, but your case must be severe.
Does my health problem qualify for Social Security Disability?
Many different health problems can qualify for Social Security Disability. Social Security keeps a list including dozens of impairments that can qualify and describing what evidence you need to provide with each one. But your impairment doesn’t have to be on the list to get benefits. The severity of your condition is more important than your exact diagnosis. In your disability application, you have to prove that no matter what your ailment is, it’s so severe that you can’t work.
When should I apply for Social Security Disability?
Apply as soon as you know you can’t work because of your health. Don’t wait to see if you feel better enough to return to work. The disability application process takes a long time, months or over a year. It’s better to get the process started so your benefits aren’t further delayed. If it turns out you can recover quickly and go back to work, you can always drop your claim. But if you still can’t work, you don’t want to have to start from the beginning waiting for a decision on your claim.
Should I apply for SSDI or SSI?
Social Security runs two disability benefits programs, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Both require you to have health problems that make it impossible to work. The difference is that SSDI is for people with significant work records. You become eligible by working and paying Social Security taxes. SSI doesn’t require a work history. For SSI benefits, you have to show that you have little in the way of savings or investments. If you have years of work background, it’s usually better to apply for SSDI because it will pay more. But there are cases where you might apply for SSI instead or both. A Social Security Disability lawyer can help you decide what’s best for you.
What information do I need for a Social Security Disability application?
You’ll need identification, citizenship confirmation, financial and income records, medical records, and work history details for your Social Security Disability application. You will fill out multiple forms describing your symptoms, your job duties, and how your medical impairments now get in the way of your job. You may need to collect statements from people who personally know you about how your health has impacted your life. You may need to work with your doctor to get special assessments of how you function day-to-day. A Social Security Disability lawyer can help you put together everything you need to apply.
How do I file my application for Social Security Disability benefits?
The most common way to submit your application for disability benefits is online. You can also apply in person at a Social Security office. And you can apply by phone. If you work with a disability lawyer, they can file your application for you and make sure you get everything filed correctly.
How long does it take to get benefits once I apply?
It takes far too long. It takes several months to get an initial response from Social Security. If they deny your benefits at first, which is common, it takes more months to appeal the denial. Reaching a hearing with a disability judge—a key step in appealing—can take the better part of a year. When you add it all up, the entire process can easily over a year. This is why it’s important not to delay applying. It’s better to start moving your claim through the process than to wait. The good news is that when you win benefits, you get compensated for time that you waited. They award back benefits in one lump sum covering the period from when your health problems officially qualified you for benefits to when they finally award you benefits and your monthly checks start.
What do I get with Social Security Disability benefits?
Disability benefits come with monthly checks to help you stay financially afloat when your work and income stop because of your health. For Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you get different amounts depending on your past earnings, but it’s not a full replacement of your income. SSDI also gives you early access to Medicare health coverage. If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your monthly checks are a standard, national amount minus other benefits you receive if you have any. Qualifying for SSI also means you qualify for Medicaid. These benefits are crucial piece of maintaining your stability and peace when you can’t work due to bad health.