Was your SSD or SSI case denied by Social Security? Don’t give up!
Just because you received a letter from Social Security saying you aren’t disabled doesn’t mean your case is over. Talk to us!
Do I Qualify?
SSD & SSI Qualification Requirements
Hearing Information
Hearings are held in our office
F.A.Q.s
Frequently Asked Questions
Hearing Information
Do your Social Security Hearing right here in our office!
We do Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income hearings from our Danville office. We are recognized as a hearing site by the Social Security Administration.
If you are denied disability on your application and again after appealing that denial you have the right to ask for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Most of those hearings are conducted by video.
The judges servicing our area are located either in Peoria or Orland Park (near Chicago).
There are video hearing sites at the Danville, Champaign, Decatur and Kankakee Social Security offices. In Springfield the hearings are conducted in the basement of the Federal building.
None of those locations are as comfortable as our video hearing site in Danville. For many clients it isn’t practical to do their hearing in Danville, but for those people in West Central Indiana and East Central Illinois it is a much better place to do your hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes disability results from a combination of health problems. Whether a person is disabled can vary depending on age. Social Security doesn’t require that your disability be based on one specific medical problem. Any medical condition that would affect a person’s ability to work must be considered. Depending on what your age is, work experience, and other factors, you could be entitled to disability benefits.
I know someone who receives Social Security Disability and my condition is much worse than theirs.
It is not up to your doctor to determine whether you are disabled. It is unlikely your doctor knows what Social Security’s definition of disability is. It is up to Social Security to make their own decision regardless of what your doctor thinks. However, your doctor’s opinion regarding your work restrictions is important. That is why you should contact our office to ensure the proper medical evidence is gathered to prove your disability.
Federal law regulates attorneys’ fees in Social Security disability cases. So, most disability lawyers work on the same fee basis. The lawyer’s fee is 25% of the past due disability benefits you get, up to the statutory maximum. There is no fee if you lose.
It can take approximately 6 to 12 months to receive a decision on your initial application. If your application is denied, it can take an additional 6 to 12 months to get a decision on reconsideration. If you are denied on reconsideration it can take another 6 to 12 months to get a hearing before an administrative law judge. The judge will issue a written decision and that usually takes 30 to 6 days to get the decision in the mail.
No lawyer can guarantee you will win your case. No lawyer can bully the federal government or change the law to your benefit. However, an experienced lawyer, like the disability lawyers at Tuggle & Lichtenberger, can make the Social Security system work for you and can make the difference between winning and losing your case.
