If your disability prevents you from working, your financial concerns can add to an already stressful time. You may feel overwhelmed when you think about your future and your family’s welfare. Although you believe that you may be entitled to receive benefits for your severe impairment, it can be difficult to know where to begin.
At Crowe & Shanahan, our legal team is ready to assist you with legal matters during this difficult time. Since 1985, our firm has helped worked individuals in St. Louis and the surrounding area who are filing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims. We are strong advocates for our clients and serve as a vital resource throughout the entire process, including appeals.
To discuss your Social Security Disability benefits claim, contact one of our attorneys online or call us at 314-231-6660.
At our firm, you can count on receiving the one-on-one service you deserve from an experienced attorney focused on securing the best possible outcome in your case. You will be a name, not a number. Our lawyers are intimately familiar with the application and appeals process, so you can rest assured that we will help you navigate this intricate process efficiently.
At your first consultation, we will provide you with the information you need and answer all of your questions relating to:
Our St. Louis firm is locally owned and operated. For decades, we have provided prompt and skilled legal advice to individuals throughout eastern Missouri and southern Illinois. Take the first step toward receiving the benefits you deserve by speaking with a dedicated legal professional today.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a five-step evaluation process to determine whether your condition qualifies as a disability. You move through the process one step at a time, and the SSA uses each step to answer a different eligibility question.
If you satisfy the SSA’s eligibility standards at a given step, the evaluation may end there with an approval. If you don’t, it doesn’t necessarily mean an automatic denial. In many cases, it simply means the SSA moves on to the next step and looks at your claim under a different set of criteria. In that sense, the five-step process works like a sequence of checkpoints, with each step narrowing the issue until the SSA either approves your claim or denies it.
Although it is possible to go through the SSD application process on your own, your best chance of success lies in engaging an attorney to handle your case.
First, the SSA looks at whether you’re currently engaged in what they call “substantial gainful activity” (SGA). In this context, the SSA assumes you are engaged in SGA if you’re doing work that involves significant physical or mental activity and earns you more than a specific monthly income amount. If you’re working and earning above the SGA threshold, the SSA generally considers you ineligible for benefits, regardless of your medical condition. The Administration assumes that if you can perform substantial gainful activity, you aren’t disabled under their rules.
In this step, the SSA evaluates whether your medical condition significantly limits your ability to perform basic work activities. These include activities like:
If your condition doesn’t substantially limit at least one of these functions, the SSA won’t consider it severe and will deny your claim. An Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri disability lawyer from our law firm can help you gather the right medical evidence to demonstrate the severity of your limitations.
The SSA maintains a comprehensive list of medical conditions it presumes to be disabling, commonly known as the “Blue Book.” This document covers everything from musculoskeletal disorders to mental health conditions to cardiovascular disease. If your condition matches the specific medical criteria in one of these listings, the SSA may find you disabled without proceeding to the remaining steps. You’ll need precise medical documentation that matches the SSA’s exact requirements to meet a listing. Many claimants who have genuinely disabling conditions don’t technically meet a listing’s strict criteria. An attorney can help you gather and present the right type of evidence based on what the SSA requires.
The SSA moves to this step if your condition doesn’t meet the specific criteria for a Blue Book listing. At this stage, the SSA will ask whether you still have the physical and mental capacity to perform any relevant work you did in the past. Claim evaluators will look at jobs you held during the 15 years before you became disabled and determine whether your current functional limitations prevent you from doing that type of work. They’ll consider the physical demands, skill level, and other requirements of those past positions. If they find that you can still perform your previous work, they will deny your claim here.
This final step applies only if the SSA finds that you can’t do any relevant work that you’ve done in the past. Here, the SSA considers your age, education, work experience, and residual functional capacity to determine whether you can adjust to other work that is available in the current job market. They don’t need to look for specific job openings or proof that employers would hire you. They only look for the fact that jobs you could theoretically perform exist somewhere in the US economy. This analysis can raise significant disputes in disability claims, so an Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri lawyer from a disability law firm can make a significant difference in the outcome of your claim at this stage.
You can reach us easily by completing our online form or by calling 314-231-6660.
We assist individuals in St. Louis and the surrounding areas with filing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims. We serve as advocates and resources throughout the entire process, including assisting with appeals for denied claims.
Our attorneys take a hands-on approach, working directly with your doctor to understand the medical issues you face and build a strong case to secure the benefits you need.
We understand that medical treatment is essential but can be expensive. We will work to help you locate affordable options for securing the necessary medical care for your claim.
Yes, family members may be able to receive benefits. Our Social Security disability attorneys will work to identify your needs and those of your loved ones.
Your benefits may be subject to federal and state income taxes. We can help you determine if your benefits will be taxed and assist you with planning accordingly.
Experience and knowledge are key, but it is also important to choose an attorney who will spend the time necessary to understand your case. At Crowe & Shanahan, you receive one-on-one service and access to your attorney, not just a paralegal.
We take pride in the strong professional and personal relationships we build with each client. You will meet with the attorney early on and that same attorney will be with you throughout the process. You can rely on us to give you honest advice about your options because this is the right thing to do.
As your advocates, we will remain by your side throughout the process, developing a strategy that fits your specific circumstances. Your legal and financial issues are unique, so we tailor our advice according to your situation. Many individuals and families have benefited from this legal approach.
