Qualifying for Social Security Disability Lawyer in South Carolina

If you have a disability and you’re wondering if you qualify for Social Security disability in South Carolina, it’s time to get the answer. Our team of Social Security disability attorneys in South Carolina at Pilzer Klein can inform you if you are eligible for disability benefits.

If you have a case, we’ll stick with you throughout it and help you take the steps toward obtaining the benefits you qualify for. We’re dedicated to our clients because we know how much it means to get the money you need when you’re disabled.

How to Qualify for Social Security Disability in South Carolina

Qualifying for Social Security disability in South Carolina is a long process, and there are four requirements you must meet to qualify. Our team of South Carolina Social Security disability attorneys can help you understand the following requirements:

Earn Enough Work Credits

The Social Security Administration (SSA) requires you to have worked in jobs covered by Social Security for long enough. As you worked, you earned work credits from your income, depending on the economy. For example, in 2023, you’ll earn 1 work credit for every $1,640 you make and can earn up to four work credits a year.

The amount of work credits you need to qualify for South Carolina Social Security benefits depends on your age and when your medical condition began. Typically, you need 40 work credits, and you must have earned 20 of them in the last 10 years, and the last year you worked must be when your disability began.

If you were younger than 40 when your disability started, you could qualify with fewer credits. A South Carolina Social Security disability lawyer from Pilzer Klein could help you determine how many work credits you need to qualify and answer any questions you have.

Meet the SSA’s Strict Disability Definition

The SSA has a long list of impairments that qualify for Social Security disability in South Carolina. However, to be on the list of medical conditions, every condition must meet the requirements of the Administration’s disability definition. To qualify, your medical condition must:

• Prevent you from working your current or adapting to a new job.
• Last or be expected to last for a minimum of a year or result in death.
• Prevent you from engaging in basic work-related activities.

If your medical condition isn’t listed, but your disability meets the abovementioned requirements, it could qualify you for disability benefits. Our South Carolina disability benefits attorneys can help determine if you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

Demonstrate Your Inability to Work

You could qualify for benefits if you have a qualifying medical condition that prevents you from working. However, that’s just the first part of this requirement. You must be able to prove that you can’t work and perform simultaneous tasks such as:

• Critical thinking
• Bending
• Climbing stairs or other inclines
• Lifting objects
• Learning new skills

To do this, our team of Social Security disability lawyers in South Carolina can gather medical evidence to prove that you can’t perform your job’s functions like you previously could. If you meet all four of these requirements, you could be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance.

What Happens if You Don’t Qualify for Disability Benefits the First Time

If you don’t qualify the first time you apply, don’t feel bad about it or yourself because the SSA denies thousands of applications yearly. But this isn’t the end of your disability benefits case. 

Due to the high amount of denials the Administration hands out, it allows you to appeal its decision through an appeals process. This process consists of four opportunities where you can appeal the decision:

• Reconsideration
• Administration Law Judge Hearing
• Appeals Council Review
• Federal Court Review

Our lawyers are ready to fight for you and your benefits. A Social Security disability appeals lawyer from our law firm can help you appeal the decision.

Benefits of Working with a Social Security Disability Attorney

Handling your South Carolina Social Security disability case alone can be difficult if this is your first time applying. Our team has over 50 years of combined experience with Social Security law that we can put to work for you. Here’s how our South Carolina Social Security disability attorneys can help:

Evaluate Your Case for Free

Our team offers free case evaluations to our South Carolina clients. We can review the facts of your case and tell you whether you have a valid case to qualify for SSDI. A case evaluation can give you insights, such as if you have enough evidence to show your eligibility, and gives you an opportunity to get answers to your questions.

Even if you don’t qualify, a case consultation can help you realize this so you can seek out other avenues to obtain the money you need. While it’s unfortunate that you may not qualify, a consultation can save you loads of time and energy before you exhaust it on applying for benefits.

Gather Medical Evidence

We can help you gather the evidence that could make or break your case: medical evidence. Our attorneys gather comprehensive evidence showing your medical condition and inability to work. We can gather evidence such as:

• Medical records
• Therapy notes
• Previous pay stubs
• Detailed accounts that show your inability to work

We know what the SSA needs to approve your application, and we’re ready to build your case around the requirements. We’re here to help you have the highest chance of getting approved for benefits.

Help with Your Initial Application

We can also help you fill out your application for benefits. When you have a lawyer from our firm help with your application, you have someone knowledgeable about potential errors and reasons your application could get denied.

We can help you avoid making common mistakes on your application. Working with an attorney throughout the application process gives you a higher chance of approval from the SSA.

Choose the Firm South Carolinians Trust to Obtain SSDI Benefits

At Pilzer Klein, we only focus on Social Security law, so you can rest assured that we’ll handle your case properly and use all our available resources. We can help you determine if you qualify for benefits in South Carolina and accompany you in the appeals process if the SSA denies your claim.

No matter what happens, we’re here for you. Contact us for a free case evaluation today to determine if you qualify for South Carolina Social Security disability benefits.