Social Security Disability

Often, people will know that they cannot work, but they have a difficult time explaining to the Social Security Administration (SSA) why they cannot work. Are you too weak? Are you finding it difficult to concentrate? Are you in too much pain? Therefore, every Social Security Disability case is a bit like a puzzle, and a disability attorney must figure out a way to establish that you are unable to work.

Various pieces of information are valuable only when put together and presented to the SSA. For example, an attorney may argue that you may not be able to work because you cannot sleep and are too fatigued to concentrate on your job the next day. Or pain that you experience due to back problems may make it virtually impossible for you to work eight hours a day, five days a week.

Your case begins with thoroughly understanding your disabilities and symptoms, then completing your Social Security Disability application. If you have been denied when you hire Mark A. Di Carlo, the case begins by appealing the reason the Social Security Administration gave for denying your application.

Mark Di Carlo will take the time to work directly with you and answer your questions regarding:

• The difference between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and whether you qualify for one or both programs
• The ways that emotional problems such as depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder can impact your claim
• How to apply for benefits for a disabled child
• The most effective methods in filling out SSDI and SSI applications
• Steps to take after being denied
• What occurs in Social Security hearings
• Tips about the practical and common issues people face in SSDI and SSI

Whether you qualify for disability benefits if you have a drug or alcohol problem
Whether a criminal record or incarceration may affect your disability case
If you were denied benefits, Mark Di Carlo can help you. He can enter into the process at any stage, whether submitting an application, requesting a reconsideration or requesting a hearing by an administrative law judge. He may also file an appeal at the Appeals Council if you have lost your hearing.

Offering Free Initial Consultations

Mark Di Carlo has advocated for the disabled in South Texas for three decades. His office can be reached online or by telephone at 361-888-6968.

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The Social Security Administration (SSA) should take all of an individual’s impairments such as physical problems, emotional problems and symptoms such as pain, fatigue, dizziness, weakness and so on into account when determining whether to grant Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Various forms of evidence are crucial in establishing your case. This evidence might include medical records, accident reports and a disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Unless your lawyer provides such evidence or requests that the SSA obtain such evidence on your behalf, it is doubtful that you can win your case.

Attorney Mark Di Carlo can determine what evidence is crucial to attempt to win your case, and he can obtain that evidence through his own office or through requests at the SSA. Some of this evidence relates to you proving your limited physical exertional capacity to lift, pull, push, walk or stand. Other evidence may relate to your nonexertional limitations such as pain, dizziness, inability to concentrate, inability to get along with co-workers or supervisors and so on.

Physical disabilities can cause symptoms such as pain, headaches, dizziness and numbness that make it virtually impossible to work. Physical disabilities that Mark Di Carlo can help you seek benefits for include:

• Musculoskeletal problems
• Neck and back injuries
• Knee and shoulder problems
• Obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes
• Arthritis

When most people think about disabilities, they look at physical impairments that prevent people from participating in certain tasks. The truth is, emotional and mental impairments can cause similar difficulties. Common issues that can help you build a case for Social Security Disability benefits include:

• Anxiety or depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Bipolar disorder
• Insomnia
• Other intellectual disabilities like mental retardation, brain injuries or dementia

The key to obtaining benefits for your disability is understanding how to bring all potential impairments and their specific effect on your ability to work before the SSA. Many times when people suffer from obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes, they also suffer from depression or anxiety disorders. As your lawyer, Mark Di Carlo can present your case in the best possible light before the SSA.

Schedule a free initial consultation today at the Corpus Christi or Harlingen office. And remember, you will not pay any legal fees unless you obtain benefits. Mark Di Carlo can be reached online or by telephone at 361-888-6968. Please note that meetings at the Harlingen location are by appointment only.

Applying for Social Security on your own means that you do not have access to the legal and practical knowledge that Mark Di Carlo has acquired in his three decades of representing clients in disability claims. For example, here are facts that you probably did not know about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI):

• Substance issues (i.e., drug and alcohol abuse) can be used as a reason to deny you Social Security Disability benefits. Make sure to disclose this information to your attorney so that you can work on an effective plan of action.
• The more education you have, generally the harder it is to win your case.
• A lack of bimanual dexterity — that is, limited use of your hands, caused perhaps by arthritis — can be an important factor in finding you disabled from working.
• The older you are, the easier it is to win your case.
• Vocational experts are frequently called in to testify at Social
• Security Administration hearings. It is important that you have an attorney to question them.
• Applying for Social Security benefits can be an extremely long and frustrating process when you lack the resources and knowledge provided by an experienced attorney. As you can see, your attorney can provide you with valuable insight that can make the difference in getting benefits.

Schedule a free initial consultation today with an experienced SSDI and SSI lawyer to find out everything you need to know about the application and appeals processes. Corpus Christi attorney Mark Di Carlo can be reached online or by telephone at 361-888-6968.

Applying for disability benefits may be easy, but winning is not, and it may take a long time to win your case. An experienced Social Security Disability attorney may help to expedite your case.

Mark Di Carlo has been working with disabled individuals in this area of law for nearly three decades and can bring professional experience and personal attention to your case. He can represent you through any part of the process, whether you are applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for the first time or you have been denied benefits and need to appeal that decision.

Mr. Di Carlo can help you fill out application forms at his office for SSI and SSDI. Getting his expertise during this important process has some serious benefits, including:

He is familiar with the forms, which can be complex and confusing for someone who has never completed them before.
He can help you identify all of your disabilities and impairments to present your case in the best light possible.
He can save you a lot of time and frustration in attempting to understand the application forms and fill them out appropriately.

While a thorough application can greatly increase your chances of success, most individuals are denied when they apply. If this happens, do not give up. Any disability benefits denial can be thought of as temporary because every individual is entitled to at least four appeals. At each level of appeal, you could potentially win your case. Mark Di Carlo can help you take action in these cases by filing multiple appeals and may even file a lawsuit in federal court on your behalf.

Remember: There are no fees unless you collect benefits, and the office offers free initial consultations. That means you have nothing to lose. Schedule a free initial consultation today by contacting Mark A. Di Carlo, PLLC Attorney at Law, online or calling 361-888-6968. All messages are returned promptly.

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The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers programs that help individuals get the financial assistance they need to meet their obligations when they are struggling with a disability. These programs are called Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). While these programs exist to help disabled individuals, the process of qualifying for and obtaining benefits can be difficult and exhausting, especially when you are unfamiliar with the law.

This is an insurance program for disabled workers. It requires individuals to pay into a federal program through payroll deductions. You are “insured” by the program if you have been employed for five of the past 10 years or, more technically, 20 quarter years of the past 40 quarter years. It is not uncommon for someone to receive $1,600 per month on SSDI. While this is sometimes called an “entitlement plan,” it is not necessarily a fair assessment of the benefits, due to the fact that individuals pay into the program, similar to a private insurance plan.

This needs-based program differs from SSDI in that an individual does not need to have paid into the program through payroll deductions to obtain monthly benefits. That means that benefits are available to people who have never worked or have worked too little to qualify for SSDI. Generally speaking, applicants must prove that they are too disabled to work and that they have very little assets, property or income. However, SSI benefits are limited to approximately $680 per month.

In some cases, if one receives very little on SSDI, he or she can supplement that by receiving SSI, but it depends on a variety of factors. SSI is also available to disabled children, the elderly and the blind.

Since 1985, Mark Di Carlo has been advocating for the disabled in the Corpus Christi, Texas, area. He has compassionately helped numerous people obtain the benefits they need. Mr. Di Carlo can help you understand the difference between SSDI and SSI and can represent you when applying for benefits or if you have been denied benefits.

Contact the law office today for a free case evaluation. You can reach Mark Di Carlo online or by calling 361-888-6968.

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