Long Wait Times for Social Security Disability Benefits in Florida Are Putting the Most Needy at Risk

Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits are taking longer than ever to receive. Almost every applicant is forced to go through the appeals process after their initial applications are rejected. The wait list to get SSD appeals heard in Tampa is often longer than two years. All the while, applicants are forced to fend for themselves—leaving many of them homeless and unable to afford the medicine they desperately need.

The appeals are heard before a judge that considers evidence from the government demonstrating inability to maintain and support one’s self with a full-time job. Persuading the judge that you are unfit to maintain any type of full-time employment can be surprisingly difficult. The percentage of applicants that are able to win their appeals without an experienced Tampa SSD appeals attorney is close to zero.

Having an attorney prepare your case for the first appeal is often the difference between getting the benefits you deserve and having to find a way to survive until you are able to get another appeal. It takes months for an experienced Tampa SSD benefits attorney to prepare a case and gather the necessary medical records. The burden of proof is on the SSD claimant to prove that they have a medical situation that prevents them from being able to support their self through any type of full-time employment.

There are no answers in sight to ending the long wait times for SSD benefits claimants in Florida. Claimants need to do everything they can to ensure that they receive the benefits they deserve during the first opportunity for an appeal. Experts strongly recommend that anyone pursuing benefits retain an experienced SSD appeals attorney to help them prepare their case.

At the Rooth Law Firm in New Port Richey, clients receive the personalized attention you expect from a small law firm with the SSD expertise expected from a large law firm. We offer free initial consultations and a flexible schedule for your convenience. Call us at 727-849-3400 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We help clients in Clearwater, New Port Richey, Seminole, Tampa and throughout the Tampa Bay area.