Do you need a Rocky Mount Social Security Disability Lawyer? The Bishop represents clients in Edgecombe and Nash Counties and we do not get paid unless we win your case and you receive back pay. Call us or start your free case review now!
Facts about Rocky Mount, NC
The Rocky Mount is located at 1071 Hunter Hill Road, Rocky Mount, NC. Their phone is 1-866-964-0784.
If you live in Rocky Mount and you have to go to a SSA , your will be held at the Raleigh OHO (Office of Hearings Operations) at 3315 Poole Rd, Suite 200.
According to SSA , in 2018, 2,837 people in Edgecombe and 3,430 people in Nash County received ().
The Bishop meets our Rocky Mount clients at the Braswell Library. Disabled individuals in Rocky Mount without health insurance can try the Tar River Mission Clinic and MedAssist for their medications.
Types of
Generally, there are two types of benefits that the disabled can apply for: Social Security Insurance Benefits () and (). is based on the credits from the work that you have done in your life while is a need based program. You must be found disabled by SSA before you are eligible for either type of benefit.
The Five Step Sequential Evaluation
Social Security uses a five-step evaluation to determine if you are disabled at every step of the below process:
- Step 1 – Are You Working? The Social Security Administration defines work as “Substantial Gainful Activity” (SGA). SGA is roughly defined as work from earnings that average more than $1,550 (2024) a month. If you are making that amount you generally cannot be considered disabled.
- Step 2 – Is Your Condition “Severe”? Severe is defined by the Social Security Administration as: your condition must interfere with basic work-related activities for your claim to be considered.
- Step 3 – Is Your Condition on the List of Disabling Conditions? The Listings are very hard to meet in most cases and not always interpreted as a common reading would suggest. If you meet a listing you are gravely ill. The listings are found here.
- Step 4 – Can You Do the Work You Did Previously? The Social Security Administration will look at your past work and determine if it was sedentary, light, medium, or heavy. They also will evaluate the skill level: unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled. For instance, an would be sedentary skilled work. The Dictionary of Occupational Titles is found here.
- Step 5 – Can You Do Any Other Type of Work? If the Social Security Administration finds that you cannot do what you used to do, they then look to see if you can do anything else. This is where the “grids” come into play. The grids are the Medical-Vocational Guidelines. The grids are only for exertional impairments. Non-exertional impairments are not considered by the grids. If you are found to be capable of any other work, you will be found not disabled. Read The Grids and Your Social Security Case.
The Social Security Process
Initial: The first step is to apply for . You can apply with SSA online, by telephone or in person at the . You can opt to apply without an or you can choose to hire an from the beginning. Social Security calls this the initial level. In , after you file your initial application, your is sent to Determination Services (DDS).
: If you are denied at the initial level, you will need to appeal. This appeal is called the . The level is very similar to the initial level except a different examiner should review your case.
Level: If you are denied at the level, you will need to request an before an SSA (ALJ). As discussed above the Raleigh, NC OHO is your local office.
Appeals Council : If you are denied for at , you will have to appeal to the Appeals Council (AC) in Falls Church, VA.
District Court: Lastly, if you are denied by the AC, you will have to file in the Eastern District of .
Do you need a Rocky Mount Social Security Disability Lawyer?
Unfortunately, DDS (which handles the initial and level decisions) denies most people that apply for . Having an in the early stages helps your case move through the process and keeps the DDS examiner informed of any changes to your health, medical treatment, medications, etc. If you receive a denial, appealing as soon as possible is imperative because you do not want any unnecessary delay at these beginning levels.
After you request a , it can take 18-24 months for SSA to schedule that . This only illustrates how important eliminating delay in the first stages can be. You can request a dire need to try to get your sooner, but it is up to SSA to approve that request. An or representative can give you regarding what documentation is needed to request a dire need and frame the request so it has the best chance of being approved.
The will be with an (ALJ) who has the power to approve or deny your case. Throughout the process, this is the only time you will be able to explain your case in person to someone who can approve you for . Representation is essential to presenting your case to the ALJ in an efficient and compelling manner. Also, getting your doctor’s opinion and all your medical records to the ALJ in a readable, organized and timely way is crucial to your success.
If you need a Rocky Mount NC give The Bishop a call today at (919) 615-3095. We do not get paid unless we win your case. We look forward to working with you!
