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What Happens Once I Apply?

Once you submit an application for SSDI or SSI benefits, the SSA will forward it to a Social Security field office, which will review the basics of your application to determine whether you might be eligible for benefits. Social Security field offices are located throughout the agency’s Boston Region, which includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

If the Social Security field office determines that you meet the basic requirements for benefits coverage (based, for example, on your age, employment history, and history of paying employment taxes), your claim will be forwarded to an area Disability Determination Services office. There, your claim will be reviewed in detail to determine whether, and how, you might be disabled. A disability examiner will review your records, contact your medical sources to obtain medical evidence, and try to answer questions about your condition, such as when it began, how it limits your activities, what medical tests and examinations have been performed, and what treatments you’ve received.

When sufficient information has been collected, the examiner will review all the facts, such as the severity of your condition, how long you’ve had the condition, how it affects your ability to work, and your age, education, and work experience. Based on that review, a recommendation will be made as to whether you’re considered “disabled” under Social Security standards. The SSA will then make a decision on your case, and you will be notified of the outcome. Typically, the initial claims process takes several months to complete.

If you’re dissatisfied with the first decision made on your application, you can request reconsideration. In that case, your claim will be sent back to the Disability Determination Services office, where it will be assigned to a different examiner. A new and independent decision will be made on your case, considering the evidence already gathered, plus any new evidence.

Unfortunately, the majority of claims for Social Security disability benefits are denied when first submitted, and again on reconsideration.

If your disability benefits claim has been denied, contact Jackson & MacNichol today. We can discuss your claim, give you a candid evaluation of your situation, and talk about how our experienced, dedicated attorneys and staff can help.

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Social Security
Disability


Social Security Disability Insurance payments are available to wage earners who have become disabled. Supplemental Security Income payments are available to those with limited income who are disabled.

We represent SSD cases in Maine, Boston, and the whole of New England.

Veterans Disability
Benefits


As a proud member of the National Association of Veterans' Advocates (NOVA), we offer representation at all stages of the benefits claim process.

We represent Veterans in their disability benefits cases nationwide.

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Services


Estate planning involves more than just writing a will. It’s an active process of evaluating your needs, keeping track of your assets, and determining what legal actions need to be taken to meet your goals and protect your loved ones.

We offer a no obligation, complementary estate planning and asset protection review.

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Jackson & MacNichol

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South Portland, ME
04106

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