Follansbee Heart Disease Lawyer

A serious medical condition can jeopardize your financial future, especially if you cannot earn an income. If you have a heart problem that keeps you from working, a Follansbee heart disease lawyer with Berger and Green can help you seek Social Security Disability benefits.

Our Social Security Disability lawyers serving Follansbee, WV, can file your application and appeal benefits claims that the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied. We can fight for the money you need to provide for yourself and your family so you can focus on your health. You can start today with a free consultation.

You Can Receive Social Security Disability Benefits for Heart Disease in Follansbee, WV

If you have heart disease and cannot work due to your condition, you can apply for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. SSD encompasses two separate and distinct programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

SSDI is available to disabled individuals who have earned work credits through their employment. You usually need 20 credits (equal to about five years of work) to become eligible for benefits, although you may need more or fewer credits depending on your age. SSI provides monthly payments to disabled individuals with limited resources and income. You do not need earned work credits to qualify.

Some individuals may be able to receive SSDI and SSI concurrently. However, you must apply for each program separately. Our Follansbee heart disease lawyers can determine which program is right for you and file the appropriate applications on your behalf.

Monthly Payment Amounts

Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income can provide much-needed financial relief to you and your family. SSDI benefit amounts vary from claim to claim and will depend on your work credits, age, and other factors. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the maximum monthly payment possible in 2023 is $3,627.

The SSI rate is set annually based on economic factors like the Consumer Price Index. The 2023 monthly payment is $914 per individual and $1,371 per couple. Some states offer an SSI supplement; West Virginia does not.

Our Follansbee Lawyers Can Manage Your SSD Claim and Appeal

Securing SSD benefits can be challenging because the SSA denies most claims, forcing applicants to undergo a complex appeals process. Our SSD lawyers serving Follansbee, WV, can ease the burden of your heart disease case by completing the following tasks on your behalf:

• Answering your SSD questions and concerns
• Filing your initial application
• Ensuring the SSA has the information it needs from your medical providers
• Determining why the SSA denied your initial application
• Gathering evidence to strengthen your claim for appeal
• Navigating your appeal and representing you during a hearing
• Providing you with frequent and timely updates

We Care About Helping Clients With Heart Disease

Our law firm has served injured and disabled clients for over 40 years. We genuinely care about the outcome of every case we handle because we know how important success is to those we represent.

We also understand the difficulties sufferers of heart disease face. That is why, since 2017, it has been our honor to present the Berger and Green Heart Disease Scholarship to a student living with heart disease. It would be a privilege to assist with your SSD heart disease claim.

Is Your Heart Disease a Disabling Condition? Our Follansbee Heart Disease Lawyers Can Seek SSDI Benefits for You

When evaluating your benefits application to determine if your heart disease is disabling, the SSA will consider the following:

1. Does your condition prevent you from earning income? The SSA establishes an annual substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit. The 2023 limit is an average of $1,470 monthly ($2,460 for blind individuals). If you can earn more than this amount, the SSA does not consider you disabled.
2. Can you work? You must have a severe medical condition to prevent you from doing your current job or performing another type of work.
3. Has your heart disease lasted (or is it expected to last) at least one year? You can receive SSD payments only if your heart problem will keep you from working for at least 12 months. However, you should not wait until a year passes to apply. You can and should start on your claim immediately.

Heart Problems the SSA Lists in Its Blue Book

Another thing the SSA will consider when deciding whether to give you benefits is the severity of your heart disease. The administration maintains a list of cardiovascular impairments already recognized as disabling in the Blue Book, including the following heart conditions:

• Symptomatic congenital heart disease
• Ischemic heart disease
• Chronic heart failure
• Aneurysm
• Recurrent arrhythmias
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Heart transplant

Reasons SSA Can Deny an SSD Heart Disease Claim

Our disability benefits attorneys serving clients in Follansbee, WV, can help you understand why the SSA denied your Social Security Disability benefits. Reasons you may have received an unfavorable determination include the following:

• Your heart disease is not a condition that is disabling.
• You make too much money.
• Your condition did not (or will not) last one year.
• You did not submit enough medical evidence.
• You did not supply the requested documents.
• You refused to submit to a consultative examination (CE).
• You did not follow your medical treatment plan.
• You did not provide correct contact information, and the SSA does not know how to find you.

The Four Stages of Appeal

We can appeal your SSD claim if the SSDA denies it. Our Follansbee heart disease lawyers will protect your rights and advocate for you. Below are the four stages of a Social Security Disability appeal:

1. Reconsideration of your initial application for medical or non-medical reasons
2. Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing
3. Appeals Council review of the ALJ’s ruling
4. Civil action in Federal Court

Do not delay the appeals process. You only have 60 days from receiving notice of the SSA’s decision to request a reconsideration. If you continue to get an unfavorable outcome, you have 60 days between each stage to move your claim forward. Our law firm can help you get started right away.

Call Berger and Green About Seeking SSD for Heart Disease in Follansbee, WV

Contact Berger and Green for a free consultation and learn more about how our Follansbee attorneys can assist with your SSD heart disease claim and appeal. Our services cost nothing upfront. We receive payment only if you receive benefits. Connect with a lawyer near you today.