Dallas SSD Mental Disability Attorneys

When applying for Social Security Disability benefits, perhaps one of the most difficult types of conditions to prove to the government is a mental disability. These invisible but very real conditions can be challenging for many reasons.

Individuals who suffer from chronic and long-term mental health issues or other forms of mental disabilities may face stigma, ridicule, and even skepticism from friends and family. Often the Social Security Administration (SSA) is no better, as the majority of these claims for SSD are denied initially on technical or medical grounds.

At Kraft & Associates, P.C., we want to help. If you’ve been denied SSD benefits for a mental disability, don’t wait too long. Call our Dallas SSD mental disability attorneys to find out if we might be able to help you secure the benefits you deserve.

What Mental Conditions Qualify for SSD/SSI Benefits?

Under Social Security guidelines, there are a number of predefined mental conditions that qualify a person for SSD, but it’s not as easy as simply getting a diagnosis and filling out the forms. The Social Security Administration lumps mental conditions into “categories” of disorders that may qualify you for SSD benefits.

Here are those 11 broad categories:

1. Neurocognitive disorders
2. Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
3. Depressive, bipolar and related disorders
4. Intellectual disorders
5. Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders
6. Somatic disorders
7. Personality and impulse-control disorders
8. Autism spectrum disorders
9. Neurodevelopmental disorders
10. Eating disorders
11. Trauma-related or stress-related conditions and disorders

But remember, just because something is listed as a category of qualifying conditions does not mean the presence of the disorder will automatically qualify you for benefits. You must still prove the severity of the condition and the degree to which it prohibits you from working. This is where a skilled and experienced SSD mental disability lawyer from Kraft & Associates, P.C., can make all the difference in many cases.

Medical Evidence of Mental Impairments

There are two basic reasons that the SSA denies claims. Many denials involve inadequate evidence.

Not all physicians and mental health professionals are qualified to render an opinion. Likewise, not all health care professionals understand how to frame a disability so that government bureaucrats can properly assess whether the disorder qualifies. In order to support your claim for benefits, you will need to take the proper steps to provide the necessary evidence:

• Step one is obtaining the correct diagnosis from a licensed medical professional who is capable and qualified to render such an opinion, preferably a psychiatrist.
• Next, the SSA will look for evidence that your condition is so severe that you are effectively prohibited from being able to engage in “substantial gainful work activity.”
• Once you have proven this, you may still have to establish that there is no other field of work or job that you could do, even with reasonable accommodations.

Ultimately, it’s not enough to say you are unable to work. An SSD mental disability attorney can help to frame your appeal so that the administrative law judge deciding your case can clearly identify the specific ways that the condition limits your ability to work.

In addition to denying claims for lack of proper evidence, the SSA can deny claims for technical reasons. These include things like:

• Missing the deadlines
• Using the wrong form
• Not including the properly stated diagnosis
• Including irrelevant information but not addressing the criterion for disability

Call our law firm today to set up a free consultation regarding your mental disability claim. We can answer any questions you may have and explain the process.

What to Do if Your Application Is Denied

The sad reality is that most SSD applications are denied ─ despite the applicants having perfectly valid claims for mental disabilities.

If your claim is denied and you believe the denial was in error, you need to contact an attorney right away. You only have 60 days to file your appeal with the Social Security Administration if you want to preserve your filing date and your right to receive retroactive pay.

Otherwise, you will need to reapply. Then, even if successful later on, your benefits will be calculated back to the date of your second application because you missed the appeals deadline.

Meeting the deadline can be tricky, too. If you wait until the last minute, you risk the postal service not getting your forms to the government on time. Likewise, many people make critical errors in filling out the forms, due to technical and complicated procedural rules. Protect your case and improve your shot at success by calling an experienced Dallas SSD lawyer today.

With Our Dallas SSD Mental Disability Attorneys, You Are Not Alone

There are currently over 7.3 million people living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex, according to the U.S. Census, making it one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country. What’s more, the National Association of Mental Illnesses estimates that 1 in 5 people are living with some form of mental disability or disorder. Even if only 5 percent of those people suffered from a truly crippling mental health condition that prevents them from working, that would still be about 73,000 local residents who could possibly qualify for SSD benefits.

Given the simple fact that mental disabilities are so prevalent, the Social Security Administration scrutinizes these claims and looks for ways to say no. Fortunately, at Kraft & Associates, P.C., our dedicated team of experienced mental disability lawyers stand ready to fight for your SSD benefits.

Contact our Mental Disability Lawyers Now

It can be difficult to know if you really need a Dallas mental disability attorney. Generally, there are two times you should consider talking to a lawyer about your case:

• First, you need an attorney if you recently applied for SSD benefits and were improperly denied.
• Second, you should also consider hiring an attorney if you are reapplying after a prior denial, and you want to improve your odds of winning.

If you’ve been denied SSD benefits, remember that you only have 60 days to file your appeal. So contact Kraft & Associates, P.C., today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our caring and dedicated attorneys. Throughout the Dallas region, you can count on us to provide trusted and skilled advocacy from start to finish.