Amarillo is the county seat of Potter County in the State of Texas, although part of the city extends beyond Potter County and into Harris County. Also known as the Yellow Rose of Texas, Amarillo is the regional economic center of the Texas Panhandle. Meat packaging plays a major role in Amarillo’s economy and the city is home to the headquarters of Texas Cattle Feeders Association. Amarillo is also rich in the history of the Old West and features a variety of museums and events that honor the culture of the city’s earlier days.
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), there are more than half-a-million people in the State of Texas receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. In order to qualify for benefits in the City of Amarillo, you must suffer from a long-term (12 months or more) or permanent disability that prevents you from performing any type of work activity. If you have not yet been disabled for twelve months, you can still apply for benefits if you are able to provide medical evidence that proves that your condition will last for one year or longer.
If the condition that you are suffering from is included in the SSA’s Blue Book and if you have evidence proving that your condition meets the published criteria for that particular disabling condition, you will have a fairly good chance of being awarded disability benefits from the SSA. If your condition is not listed you may still be able to qualify for benefits but you will have to prove the extent of your disability through objective medical evidence and, in some cases, expert testimony at a disability appeal.
If the SSA determines that you qualify for disability benefits, you will start receiving your Social Security Disability payments after an initial six-month waiting period. The initial waiting period is counted from the day that your disability started to prevent you from maintaining employment activity. If you have already been unable to work for six months or more due to your condition, you may begin receiving benefits immediately and you may also be entitled to back pay from the SSA.
Apply for Amarillo Social Security Disability Benefits
If you are in need of Social Security Disability benefits in the Amarillo area, you should contact a qualified Amarillo Social Security Disability attorney before you even consider filing your initial Social Security Disability claim. The SSA’s disability claim process can be overwhelming and it can be hard to understand exactly what the SSA needs in order to approve your benefits. The help of an Amarillo Social Security Disability lawyer can increase your chances of receiving a favorable decision during the initial stage of the application process.
Many applicants do properly complete their forms or do not provide enough medical evidence with their initial disability claims when trying to prove their case to the SSA. As a result, between 60 and 70 percent of disability claims are denied by the SSA each year. If you consult with an Amarillo Social Security attorney before filing your claim, you can ensure that your application forms will be completed properly and submitted without mistakes and that enough medical evidence is furnished along with your claim forms.
Although it is recommended that you retain the services of an Amarillo Social Security lawyer before filing your disability claim, many applicants wait until after they have been denied benefits before consulting with an attorney. It is important to understand that this results in benefit payments being significantly delayed. If your initial claim for disability benefits is denied by the SSA, it is likely that you will need to attend a disability hearing in order to obtain the benefits you may be entitled to. It can take nearly two years for such a hearing to be scheduled, so avoiding the need for such a hearing is definitely in your best interests.
When you retain the services of an Amarillo disability attorney, the lawyer you work with will be able to represent you through each stage of the Social Security Disability application and/or appeal process. He or she will ensure that your documents and/or appeals are all filed properly that you have sufficient medical evidence in order to support your claim for disability benefits. Your attorney will also be able to prepare you for your disability hearing. Without legal representation at this hearing, your chances of being approved of benefits are significantly reduced.
The office in charge of handling Social Security Disability claims for Amarillo residents is located at 4750 Canyon Drive in the city of Amarillo.
Amarillo Social Security Disability Resources
When submitting a Social Security Disability claim to this office it is crucial that you provide the office with current medical records. The adjudicator reviewing your file will need to see recent evidence of your condition if they are to approve your disability claim. If you do not have access to medical care, there are many low-cost medical clinics that can help. Following are a few of the low-cost clinics that serve residents in the Amarillo area:
Amarillo Clinic
824 Martin Rd.
Amarillo TX 79107
806-374-7341
Regence Health Network
200 S. Tyler St.
Amarillo TX 79101
806-345-7917
Teare Memorial Clinic
146 Pioneer Dr.
Booker TX 79005
806-658-4531
Borger Medical Clinic
104 N. Bryan St.
Borger TX 79007
806-274-2986
Your Amarillo Disability Claim
You may be tempted to file your disability application without the services of an Amarillo disability lawyer. You may be thinking that it will save you money if you represent yourself in your disability claim. The truth is, the services of an Amarillo Social Security Disability attorney can save you time and stress and may get you faster access to the disability benefits that you need in order to make ends meet. Your attorney will work with you to ensure that your application is filled out properly and will discuss the merits of your claim with you. Your attorney can also help you discover any weak points in your claim and can work with you to gather the evidence that you will need to support your application for Social Security Disability benefits. While you may think you are capable of representing yourself, statistics have shown that applicants who retain the services of a qualified attorney are more likely to be awarded benefits than those who do not.
