Charlottesville Disability Law Attorney

Helping Virginians with Disabilities and Special Needs Live a Better Life

The federal and Virginia legislatures have each enacted laws that protect and provide benefits for people living with disabilities and special needs, temporary and permanent. Norton Health Law has extensive experience with these laws and is prepared to guide you through them and get you all the help to which you’re entitled.

We can help you with your disability claims, including but not limited to those regarding:

• Social Security Disability
• Private and employer-sponsored Short-term and Long-term disability insurance

Obtaining Your Social Security Disability Benefits

If you’ve worked and ever looked at your paystub, you know that FICA takes a big chunk (7.65%) out of your paycheck every month, with your employer also matching that amount. What you may not know is that FICA stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. So, between you and your employer, you are paying over 15% of every dollar you make to purchase insurance through the federal insurance program created by the Social Security Act.

The Act provides retirement income, healthcare (Medicare) and disability benefits to those who are legally entitled. Like any private insurance policy, your FICA payments constitute, in part, premiums for disability insurance that entitle you to coverage if you become “disabled” as that term is defined by the law.

Appealing SSDI Claim Denials

Like private insurance companies, however, the Social Security Administration does not make it easy to obtain benefits, even when a person is clearly entitled. Instead, they generally deny disabled applicants as a rule until the application reaches the level of a formal appeal.

A formal appeal involves a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. An applicant must receive two denials before a hearing can be scheduled, The applicant can then be formally represented by an experienced disability attorney.

The appeals process can be extremely lengthy and frustrating, especially in light of the fact that the applicant is dealing with a disabling condition and living without income. The administration knows that many people give up before their claim is finally approved following the hearing.

If you’ve become disabled and are struggling to have your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) approved, we can help. Our experienced attorney will prepare a solid case for you and will advocate on your behalf at the hearing on your appeal. You paid for these benefits, and we will make sure you get all the benefits you paid for.

Private and Employer-Sponsored Disability Insurance

Similar to the SSDI insurance you paid for each payday, you and/or your employer may also have paid into a private disability policy. Whereas SSDI insurance only provides long-term benefits, many employers offer short-term benefits as part of their employee benefits packages.

The insurance company will do everything in its power and try to use every legal loophole it can to deny your claim for short- or long-term benefits. Norton Health Law is familiar with all their tricks and is not intimidated by them and their tactics. You paid for these benefits and we will make sure you get all the benefits you paid for.

If you are fighting a wrongfully denied disability or other health insurance claims, we want to help. Schedule a consultation by calling 434-978-3100 or contacting us online.