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The Social Security Disability (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application process often proves far more complicated than people expect. Many applicants rely on a Towson Social Security Disability lawyer to keep their claims moving forward.
Unfortunately, this system remains the only pathway to securing the disability benefits you need. Even a small error can place your claim at risk, leading to costly delays or an outright denial of benefits.
At Gordon, Wolf & Carney, our team of award-winning attorneys and paralegals has helped thousands of clients secure their SSDI benefits for more than 25 years. Contact us for a no-cost consultation with a reputable Social Security Disability lawyer in Towson who will evaluate your claim, identify potential obstacles, and develop a strategic approach to maximize your chances of approval.
Social Security Administration’s Definition of Disability
The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains a strict definition of disability that differs significantly from other benefit programs or insurance policies. Under federal law, you qualify as disabled only if you cannot engage in any substantial gainful activity due to a medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to last at least 12 consecutive months or result in death.
Eligibility Requirements for Filing an SSDI Claim in Towson, MD
Before the SSA considers the medical aspects of your disability claim, you must satisfy specific eligibility requirements related to your work history and contributions to the Social Security system. Meeting these threshold requirements ensures you have earned the right to receive SSDI benefits through your employment and payroll tax contributions. Our Towson Social Security Disability lawyers carefully review your work record to confirm you meet all eligibility criteria before filing your application.
You may be eligible if:
You Have Worked in Jobs Covered by Social Security
SSDI benefits are available only to workers who have paid Social Security taxes through covered employment and accumulated sufficient work credits. Most jobs in the United States require employers to withhold Social Security taxes from your paycheck.
However, certain positions, including some government jobs, railroad employment, and self-employment under certain circumstances, may not contribute to your Social Security earnings record.
You generally need 40 work credits to qualify for SSDI, with 20 of those credits earned in the 10 years immediately before your disability began. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits. We verify your earnings history with the SSA and ensure you have accumulated the necessary credits to support your claim.
You Have a Qualifying Medical Condition
Beyond work credits, you must demonstrate that a severe medical condition prevents you from engaging in substantial work activity.
You may qualify if you meet all of the following criteria:
- You cannot work at the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level because of your medical condition: The SSA will deny your claim if you earn above the monthly SGA threshold through employment.
- You cannot do the work you did previously or adjust to other work because of your medical condition: Your impairment must prevent you from performing your past relevant work and any other jobs that exist in significant numbers in the national economy.
- Your condition has lasted or is expected to last for at least 1 year (12 consecutive months) or to result in death: Temporary disabilities, no matter how severe, do not qualify for SSDI benefits.
Qualifying Medical Conditions for SSDI
The SSA evaluates a wide range of medical conditions under its disability programs and organizes them into categories in the Listing of Impairments. While nearly any severe medical condition can potentially qualify for benefits, specific impairments appear more frequently in approved claims:
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Mental disorders
- Neurological disorders
- Respiratory disorders
- Cancers
- Immune system disorders
Your condition does not need to appear on the SSA’s list of impairments to qualify for benefits. If your medical condition causes functional limitations equal in severity to a listed impairment, or if it prevents you from performing any substantial work despite not meeting a specific listing, you may still receive approval. Our attorneys analyze your medical records and compare your symptoms and limitations against both the listed criteria and the broader disability standards.
How Medical Conditions Are Evaluated
The SSA follows a five-step sequential evaluation process to determine whether your condition qualifies as a disability under federal law. At each step, the agency considers different aspects of your medical condition, work history, and functional capacity. Understanding how the SSA evaluates your claim helps you provide the right evidence at the right time and strengthens your application.
Initial Evaluation and Medical Evidence
The SSA begins by determining whether you are currently engaging in substantial gainful activity and whether your condition is severe enough to significantly limit your ability to perform basic work activities. The agency then reviews medical evidence to assess whether your condition meets or equals a listing in the Blue Book:
Gather Medical Evidence
The SSA collects medical records from your treating physicians, hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers to document your diagnosis, treatment history, and response to medical interventions.
Blue Book
Disability examiners compare your medical evidence to the specific criteria outlined in the Listing of Impairments to determine whether your condition meets or medically equals a listed impairment.
Severity of Condition
The SSA evaluates whether your impairment significantly limits your ability to perform basic work activities such as walking, standing, sitting, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching, handling, seeing, hearing, speaking, understanding, remembering, and responding appropriately to supervision and coworkers.
When Your Condition Doesn’t Meet a Listing
When your impairment does not meet or equal a listed condition, the SSA continues its evaluation by assessing your residual functional capacity and determining whether you can perform your past work or adjust to other employment. The process becomes more challenging at these later steps:
Assess Residual Functional Capacity (RFC)
The SSA determines what work-related activities you can still perform despite your limitations, considering your physical abilities, mental functioning, and any other restrictions caused by your impairment and symptoms.
Consider Non-Medical Factors
The agency evaluates your age, education level, work experience, and transferable skills to determine what types of jobs, if any, you can reasonably perform given your RFC.
Determine Inability to Work
The SSA decides whether jobs exist in significant numbers in the national economy that you can perform, considering your RFC, age, education, and work experience.
If the SSA concludes that you cannot perform your past relevant work and cannot adjust to other work that exists in significant numbers, the agency approves your disability claim. If the SSA determines you retain the capacity to perform other jobs, even if you have never done such work before and no such positions exist in Maryland, the agency denies your claim. Our lawyers challenge RFC assessments that underestimate your limitations and advocate for a full and accurate evaluation of your functional capacity.
Additional Evaluation
When the medical evidence in your file does not provide sufficient information to make a disability determination, the Disability Determination Services (DDS) may arrange a consultative examination at the SSA’s expense. During these examinations, an independent physician or psychologist evaluates your condition, performs diagnostic tests, and provides a medical opinion about your functional limitations.
Schedule a No Cost Consultation
Free ConsultationChallenges Obtaining SSDI Benefits
Applicants face many hurdles when seeking SSDI benefits, and many claims fail due to avoidable mistakes and weak documentation. Common challenges include:
High Initial Denial Rates
The SSA denies approximately 65-70 percent of initial SSDI applications, forcing most claimants to pursue appeals.
Challenging Application Process
The paperwork and documentation requirements overwhelm many applicants, leading to incomplete or inaccurate submissions.
Insufficient Medical Evidence
Many applicants lack the detailed medical documentation necessary to prove the severity and duration of their condition.
Long Processing Times
Initial applications typically take 3 to 6 months for a decision, while appeals can extend the process by 1 to 3 years.
Conflicting Medical Opinions
When your treating physicians’ assessments differ from consultative examiners’ findings, the SSA may discount your medical evidence.
Missed Deadlines
Failing to respond to SSA requests or missing appeal deadlines results in automatic denials or dismissed appeals.
RFC Disputes
Disability examiners may assess a higher functional capacity than your actual limitations support, leading to inappropriate denials.
Why You Need a Towson Social Security Disability Lawyer
Retaining legal representation significantly improves your chances of securing SSDI benefits and reduces the stress associated with managing your claim. Our lawyers provide the knowledge, resources, and advocacy you need to obtain a favorable outcome.
Increases Your Chances of Approval
Statistics consistently show that represented claimants receive benefits at substantially higher rates than those who proceed without legal representation. Our attorneys understand what evidence the SSA requires, how to present medical information persuasively, and which legal arguments prove most effective in disability cases. We identify weaknesses in your application before submission and take steps to strengthen your claim, significantly improving your probability of success.
Offers Strategic Guidance
Our lawyers create a tailored strategy for your case, guiding you on which benefit programs to pursue, what medical evidence to gather, and how to present your limitations in the strongest light. We anticipate how the SSA will assess your claim and take proactive steps to resolve potential issues before they lead to a denial.
Handles Paperwork and Meets Deadlines
The SSDI application process generates substantial paperwork, and the SSA imposes strict deadlines for submitting forms, filing appeals, and responding to information requests. Missing a deadline can result in dismissal of your appeal or require you to start the entire process over from the beginning. We manage all paperwork on your behalf, ensure timely submission of documents, and track all deadlines throughout your case to prevent procedural mistakes that can jeopardize your benefits.
Manages Medical Evidence
Medical documentation forms the foundation of every successful disability claim, but gathering comprehensive records and obtaining supportive opinions from treating physicians requires persistence and knowledge of what the SSA considers persuasive.
We contact all of your medical providers, request complete records, and work with your doctors to obtain detailed statements about your functional limitations. Our attorneys also arrange for additional medical evaluations when necessary to fill gaps in your evidence and strengthen your claim.
Provides Professional Representation
When the SSA denies your initial application, you have the right to request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), which is often the most critical stage of the disability process. We represent you at hearings and throughout the appeals process:
- Hearing Preparation: We review your entire case file, identify key issues, prepare you for testimony, and develop a hearing strategy designed to address the ALJ’s concerns.
- Witness Examination: We question vocational experts and medical experts who testify at hearings, challenging testimony that undermines your claim and eliciting testimony that supports your disability.
- Legal Advocacy: We present legal arguments explaining why your condition meets the disability standards and why the evidence supports approval of your claim.
- Post-Hearing Submissions: We submit additional medical evidence and legal briefs after hearings to address any concerns raised during testimony.
Provides Peace of Mind
Dealing with a disability places enormous stress on you and your family, and fighting for benefits while managing your medical condition can feel overwhelming. When you hire our firm, you gain an advocate who handles the legal aspects of your claim while you focus on your health and treatment.
We answer your questions, keep you informed about your case status, and provide reassurance during a difficult time. Knowing that experienced professionals are fighting for your benefits allows you to concentrate on what matters most: your well-being and recovery.
Delaying legal representation reduces your chances of approval. It prolongs the time you must wait for the benefits you need to survive. The SSA imposes strict deadlines at every stage of the disability process, and missing these deadlines can permanently damage your claim or force you to begin the entire application process again.
Why Choose Gordon, Wolf & Carney?
Our firm brings 100 years of collective experience to every disability case, with over 25 years dedicated to securing disability benefits for Marylanders. Anyone pursuing a Social Security Disability application understands how intimidating the process can become. You deserve to have experienced legal counsel in your corner:
Comprehensive Case Evaluation
We thoroughly review your medical records, work history, and personal circumstances to assess the strength of your claim.
Application Preparation
Our attorneys handle the completion of your initial application and compile all supporting evidence to clearly demonstrate the severity of your condition.
Appeals Representation
We handle reconsideration requests, prepare cases for ALJ hearings, submit briefs to the Appeals Council, and file federal court appeals when necessary.
Medical Evidence Development
Our lawyers work with your treating physicians to obtain detailed medical source statements and arrange independent medical evaluations when helpful.
Vocational Analysis
We consult with vocational experts to challenge the SSA’s position that you can perform other work in the national economy.
Ongoing Communication
We maintain regular contact with you throughout your case and respond promptly to your questions and concerns.
Contact Our SSD Attorneys Now
At Gordon, Wolf & Carney, our experienced Towson Social Security Disability lawyers have spent more than 25 years helping disabled individuals across Maryland secure the financial support they depend on. We recognize how profoundly a disability can affect your income, your family, and your long-term security, and we work relentlessly to pursue the benefits that bring stability during difficult times.
We work on a contingency-fee basis, so you owe nothing unless we win your case and secure benefits for you. We also cover all upfront costs for medical records, expert witnesses, and appeals, ensuring you take on no out-of-pocket expenses or financial risk when you hire our firm.
Gordon, Wolf & Carney has successfully guided thousands of clients through every stage of the Social Security disability process, from initial applications to appeals in federal court. Call or complete our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with a Towson Social Security Disability lawyer.
