Should I Appeal my Social Security Disability Denial of Benefits?

Appeal your Social Security Disability Denial: The short answer is that you should always appeal the denial of your initial Application and the denial upon Reconsideration. If you appeal after denial of Reconsideration, then you will have a social security disability hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. You should always have your social security disability hearing. This is your best chance to win and get awarded your disability benefits. It is your right to present your evidence, to testify on your own behalf, and to present witnesses if you so desire.

It is important to have a social security lawyer at the hearing stage because the Social Security Administration will have a vocational expert and most times a medical expert to testify.

Appeal Hearing Level Decision: If you are denied social security benefits at the hearing level, you can then appeal to the Appeals Council and to the U.S. District Court and eventually to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. However, prevailing in an appeal after the hearing level is more difficult and each case must be carefully analyzed to determine whether or not the unfavorable decision was supported by substantial evidence. Hence, why it is so important for you to be represented by a social security lawyer at your hearing.

Social Security Benefits Lawyers

Who can help me appeal?: Peggy L. Stevens and Stephanie A. Johnson can help help you through the appeals process. Peggy L. Stevens has worked for the Social Security Administration at the Hearing Level as an attorney, and she been handling Social Security cases for many years. We can appeal your denial together.

Client testimonial: "In my family's quest to help our sister, who due to her disability was unable to actually help herself, we found Peggy Stevens. It was a God Send. She was available to answer our legal questions and put the whole process into perspective for us. She was able to put my sister at ease and provide her with the reassurance that she so greatly needed to get through the whole process. Peggy's exceptional ability to prepare us for the proceedings, along with knowing how to present the case, resulted in our goal of Disability being granted for our sister. We could not have done this without her. My sister and I are very grateful for all her effort and compassion. I highly recommend Peggy Stevens as a Lawyer of Social Security Disability."