If you are disabled and struggling financially, you could be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Even if you meet the requirements to receive these benefits, you might not receive your full entitlement from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The SSA can make several decisions that can reject or reduce your benefits, but you can appeal each of these decisions. A Kansas City SSI hearing lawyer can help you with requesting a review by a judge during the appeals process and an opportunity to be heard.
Each of the SSA’s initial determinations about your benefits claim can be appealed, and a hearing can be part of that appeal process. First, you must request a reconsideration of a determination.
Your request for reconsideration goes to the agency officials who reviewed your benefits application with the expectation that they will reevaluate your submission and come to a different conclusion. If the SSA does not change its mind, you can then request a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) within the agency.
A hearing gives you the chance to seek a different result in front of an ALJ, who can bring a fresh perspective to the details of your claim—as opposed to the same agency employees reviewing the same information. The ALJ may take testimony from witnesses and professionals, and you can submit additional evidence before the hearing takes place.
You must request a hearing within 60 days of the SSA’s decision on the reconsideration, so you will have to move quickly once you know that a reconsideration has not worked. An attorney can file your hearing request for your Kansas City SSI claim.
You may need to request a hearing for the SSA to provide your full benefit entitlement. A lawyer can help make sure that you request a hearing properly, keep track of the hearing notice and its details, and prepare to argue your claim.
For example, your attorney can ensure that you request a hearing within 60 days and that you submit any evidence far enough in advance of the hearing. Requesting the hearing late could leave you unable to further appeal the SSA’s determinations, and failing to submit evidence on time can prevent you from making the best case for your claim in front of the ALJ.
While a hearing is less formal than a court proceeding, it is documented with an audio recording, which can become a part of the official record of your claim. Attending a hearing and laying out your claim can lead to the ALJ ruling in your favor, and it also creates the foundation for a higher appeal if necessary.
Should a hearing be unsuccessful, you can appeal to the SSA’s Appeals Council, where you can submit new and additional evidence for the Council’s consideration. Only after going through a hearing and an appeal to the Appeals Council can you sue the SSA in federal district court, at which point a Kansas City lawyer can work to secure your SSI benefits.
It may seem straightforward to ask the SSA to fix an incorrect conclusion, but you should still look to an attorney for assistance. Contacting a Kansas City SSI hearing lawyer from BurnettDriskill can help you request a hearing and pursue your benefits claim. Call our office now for a free consultation.
(816) 781-4836