Social Security Disability
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
If a medical condition has kept you from working, you may be wondering whether the years you spent working qualify you for support. Our disability lawyers at Stansberry Kinsley help people across Alabama understand and pursue Social Security Disability Insurance, known as SSDI.
Start with your most recent notice and where your claim stands. You do not need every record before asking for a case review.
Your situation
What to understand first.
How does my work history affect eligibility?
SSDI depends in part on having worked long enough, and recently enough, in jobs covered by Social Security. Those jobs earn work credits. The number you need depends on your age when your disability began.
We can review your work history alongside the medical requirements and explain the questions that affect your application.
What counts as a disability?
Social Security considers whether your medical condition keeps you from doing your past work or adjusting to other work. It also applies rules about the work you are currently doing and your earnings. The disability must have lasted, or be expected to last, at least 12 months or result in death. A diagnosis is part of the evidence; the effect on your ability to work also matters.
What if my application was denied?
The decision can generally be appealed within 60 days after you receive the notice. Some benefit-continuation requests have shorter deadlines, and extensions may be available in certain circumstances. The notice helps us explain which step comes next.
What to keep
Start with the information you have.
Keep available records together. This is a starting list, not a requirement to gather everything before getting in touch.
- Work history: Employers, job titles and dates for the jobs you have held in recent years.
- Your Social Security statement: The earnings record Social Security has for you, if you can get it.
- Medical sources: The doctors, clinics and hospitals that have treated you, with approximate dates.
- When you stopped working: The date and the reason, and any reduced hours before that.
- Notices and paperwork: Any Social Security letters you already have.
Ask about timing early.
Social Security notices state the dates that apply to you, and some requests have short windows. Keep the notice and its envelope, note when it arrived, and ask for a prompt review of the dates in your notice.
The next step
What happens next.
A case review is a place to begin understanding the questions your claim raises.
Tell us where your claim stands.
Start with the program named in your paperwork, the stage your claim has reached, and the questions you want answered.
Review the available information.
Discuss your notices, the medical and work information already supplied, and anything Social Security has asked for.
Understand the next step.
Ask what further information may be needed and which next steps may be appropriate for your circumstances.
What will it cost?
In Social Security disability cases, the fee an attorney may charge is limited by federal law and must be approved by the Social Security Administration. We’ll explain the proposed fee and any case expenses in a written agreement before you decide whether to hire us.
Talk with us
Tell us about your health, your work and where your claim stands. Request a Free Case Review or call 844-327-5529.
Related reading: Do I Qualify? · Supplemental Security Income (SSI) · Applying for Benefits · Denied Benefits and Appeals · Does My Condition Qualify Me for Social Security Disability Benefits? · How long will a social security disability claim take?.
You can start with the questions you have.