Having a long-term disability that stops you from working can be frustrating and stressful, especially as bills start to pile up. You can apply for disability through Social Security, but it’s a trickier and more time-consuming process than you might think.
That’s where Bill Kliem of the Legler Flynn Murphy and Battaglia law firm can come in handy. Bill’s job is to guide you through the process of applying for Social Security’s disability benefits. Bill has an interesting background that helps him with his job. He worked for more than 20 years as an occupational therapist, assisting clients with ways to improve their activities of daily living. Through that experience, Bill intimately knows how a sudden or chronic disability can affect everyday life—and he wants to help clients in a similar situation to obtain the benefits they are due. Bill’s experience is combined with the trusted experience of Legler Flynn, which has concentrated on workers’ compensation and personal injury for 25 years.
One piece of advice Bill shares when you apply for Social Security long-term disability benefits is to be patient. It can take two to three years before you get a hearing. “Seventy-five percent of cases don’t win initially,” he adds. If you don’t have the right evidence to show a formal diagnosis and treatment of your disability, that also can make your case less likely to win. Waiting for disability benefits to get approved can be hard financially, Bill notes.
Those who are approved for disability also must be ready to wait another 2 months for their benefits to begin, Bill adds.
Another tip that Bill shares is seeing doctors who can back up your diagnosis and provide the proper documentation. For example, if you have a rheumatological disease like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, see a rheumatologist who can formally provide that diagnosis versus sticking with just a primary care doctor. “That will help your case,” he says. Keep up with all of your regular appointments as well. “Be specific about pain when you talk to your doctor,” he adds. Again, this helps with documentation—and documentation is the key to many cases, he says.
If you work with Bill, he can help steer you in the right direction in terms doctors to see and obtaining the proper paperwork. “I’m like their coach,” he says. Bill takes satisfaction in helping clients get their disability cases approved; he’s even had people get approved for back pay.
You can see Bill at the Legler Flynn offices in Bradenton or Sarasota, or he’ll visit you at your home or rehabilitation center. For more information, contact Bill at the Legler Flynn office at 941-748-5599. Or, visit the Legler Flynn website: Disability Benefits Assistance Bradenton FL.
Yours truly,
Jonathan Marsh
Thanks for reading our blog. At Home Helpers of Bradenton, we look to not only make life easier but to also make a difference in our clients’ lives. It is truly an honor to have an opportunity to work with members of our community and we take the trust bestowed to us very seriously.
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If you have a loved one in need of in-home care—or you need better in-home care—give Home Helpers of Bradenton a call. We provide companion care, personal care, homemakers services, and Alzheimer’s and dementia care so family members can rest easier. We help families in Manatee County and Sarasota County and in and around the communities of Anna Maria, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Ellenton, Holmes Beach, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Myakka City, Palmetto, Parrish, and Sarasota. Call us at (941) 499-5946, or visit us online.
