Melbourne Social Security Disability Lawyer
If your Social Security Disability claim has been denied, you may still be eligible for benefits. Many qualified applicants are denied because they attempt to navigate Social Security’s complicated claim process on their own. Our experienced Melbourne Social Security Disability lawyers can help with your initial claim or appeal a denial so you can get the benefits you deserve. Call us today at (321) 306-0104, and let Team Farah go to work for you.
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Table of Contents
Why Trust Our Social Security Disability Attorneys in Melbourne, FL?
Testimonials from Our Melbourne Clients
Social Security Benefit Programs for People with Disabilities
How To Know if Your Disability Qualifies For Social Security Benefits
Reasons Your SSDI Claim Might Be Denied
How Long Do You Have to File for Social Security Disability Benefits?
Social Security Disability Frequently Asked Questions
Schedule Your Free Consultation with an Experienced Disability Lawyer Today
You’ve paid into Social Security for years or decades, and you deserve disability benefits when you need them. Yet the Social Security Administration’s data shows that just 21 percent of disability claims from 2011 to 2020 were approved on the first attempt. Most denials were for technical reasons. We know what the Social Security Administration, or SSA, looks for in a disability application and how to get you approved no matter how many times your claim has been rejected. Contact us now for a free consultation.
Why Trust Our Social Security Disability Attorneys in Melbourne, FL?
We’re a family-centered law firm founded on the principle of putting clients first. Since 1979, we’ve stood by thousands of clients coping with devastating disabilities. We understand how discouraging it is to be denied your rightful benefits. We are caring advocates who treat every client with honesty, dignity, and respect. We have a deep understanding of Social Security’s approval process and won’t take no for an answer. We’ll guide you through the process while we handle the following:
- Determine whether you have a qualifying disability and work history.
- Help you obtain the necessary medical testing to prove your eligibility.
- Help you find a doctor if you don’t know where to go.
- Collect all the relevant medical evidence.
- Complete your disability application and ensure it is complete and accurate.
- Advise you on how to pass your disability examination.
- File your appeal within the deadline if your claim has already been denied.
- Prepare you to testify at your hearing.
- Represent you at the disability hearing.
- Answer correspondence from Social Security on your behalf.
We work on a contingency fee arrangement, so we only get paid if you win your claim. Contact us today to learn more about what our disability lawyers can do for you.
Testimonials from Our Melbourne Clients
Our Melbourne personal injury law firm is a small office that delivers personalized service with the backing of the large Farah & Farah brand. Thus, we have the resources to get clients the results they deserve.
Social Security Benefit Programs for People with Disabilities
| Program | SSDI | SSI |
|---|---|---|
|
Disability Requirement |
A disability that prevents you from working and is expected to last at least a year or end in your death | A disability that prevents you from working and is expected to last at least a year or result in death OR Aged 65 or older OR Blindness |
| Financial Requirement | A work history long enough and recent enough to have earned the minimum number of work credits for your age | Limited income and resources |
| What the SSA Uses to Determine Benefit | Your average earnings | Your income |
| Amounts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Average Payment for Single Workers with No Dependents in 2024 | $1,539.84 as of September 2024 | $698 |
| Maximum Monthly Payment in 2025 | $4,018 | $967 for a single person $1,450 for a couple |
Can I Receive SSDI and SSI at the Same Time?
If you receive SSDI and your monthly benefit is lower than the maximum SSI payment, you may be eligible to receive SSDI and SSI benefits simultaneously. According to the Social Security Administration, approximately one in 11 disabled workers receives both benefits.
Individuals can be eligible for both SSD and SSI benefits and these are called concurrent benefits. In order to qualify for both, the individual would have to have a work history as well as limited income and resources. If you have any questions regarding whether or not you're eligible to receive both SSD and SSI benefits, please contact us at Farah & Farah. We’re here to help.
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How To Know if Your Disability Qualifies For Social Security Benefits
To qualify for SSDI, you must have a disabling condition that meets the SSA’s strict definition of disability. The condition must be severe enough to prevent you from performing substantial gainful activity, and it must be expected to last at least a year or result in your death. The SSA uses a series of five questions to test whether your disability meets its definition.
1. Are You Performing a Substantial Gainful Activity?
Substantial gainful activity, or SGA, is employment that provides income over the SSA’s threshold. This amount is adjusted annually. As of 2025, a job that pays $1,620 or more per month is considered substantial gainful activity. If you are blind, the limit is $2,700. Your application will be denied if you work and your earnings exceed the threshold. If not, your application proceeds to the next question.
2. Is Your Condition Severe Enough To Limit Your Ability To Perform Basic Work Activities?
Basic work activities include lifting, sitting, standing, walking, and concentrating. If the SSA finds that your condition limits these functions, your application will continue to the next question. If not, the SSA will deny your application.
3. Is Your Condition Included in Social Security’s Listing of Impairments?
The SSA maintains a list of qualifying conditions known as the Listing of Impairments or the Blue Book. If your condition is on this list, the SSA will find that you have a qualifying disability without having to answer the remaining questions. If your condition is not on the list, the SSA will determine whether your condition is equivalent to these conditions by considering the final two questions.
What Conditions Qualify for Disability?
Qualification for SSDI is based not on your condition itself but on your ability to work. However, the SSA considers the conditions in its Listing of Impairments severe. Adult conditions are categorized into the following 14 categories:
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Special Senses and Speech
- Respiratory Disorders
- Cardiovascular System Disorders
- Digestive Disorders
- Genitourinary Disorders
- Hematological Disorders
- Skin Disorders
- Endocrine Disorders
- Congenital Disorders that Affect Multiple Body Systems
- Neurological Disorders
- Mental Disorders
- Cancer
- Immune System Disorders
Having a condition listed in the Blue Book doesn’t automatically qualify you for SSDI. It only qualifies if your disability application survives the first two questions. Having an unlisted condition also doesn’t automatically disqualify you. It simply means your application must proceed through the next two questions.
4. Can You Do the Work You Did Before the Disability Began?
The SSA will consider whether you can still do the types of work you’ve done during the past five years. If you can, your application will be denied. If not, your application progresses to the final question.
5. Can You Do Any Other Type of Work?
The SSA will consider your age, experience, and past training to determine whether you can do any other type of work. If you can, your application is denied. If not, you have a qualifying disability.
Reasons Your SSDI Claim Might Be Denied
Social Security performs a meticulous review of your application and may deny benefits for the slightest reasons, such as the following:
- Insufficient work credits
- Lack of medical evidence that your condition prevents you from performing basic work activities
- Failure to attend a disability examination
- Failure to provide additional information upon request
- Errors in the disability application
- Earnings above the SGA limit
- Failure to follow treatment recommendations
- Ability to perform work that doesn’t require physical or mental exertion
These are examples of the many reasons why the SSA may reject your application. Whatever the reason, we are familiar with the SSA’s internal review process and can complete your application to give you the best chance at passing scrutiny and winning approval.
How Long Do You Have to File for Social Security Disability Benefits?
There is no deadline to apply for benefits but you should file your claim as soon as possible to ensure you receive the full benefits you deserve. Applying for benefits can be a complicated process. When you hire our hard-working Social Security lawyers in Melbourne, FL, we will remove the stress from the process, do the work for you, and submit your application promptly.
At Farah and Farah, we know accidents can be expensive. So when you work with us, you'll never have to pay out of pocket for our legal services. If we don't win your case, you owe us nothing. It's that simple.
Social Security Disability Frequently Asked Questions
Can You File a Social Security Disability Claim for Mental Illness?
Yes, you can file a disability claim for mental illness. Mental illness is among the 14 categories in Social Security’s Blue Book. Like any other disability, the mental illness must be expected to last at least a year, and it must prevent you from performing any type of work.
Can You File a Social Security Disability Claim for Mental Illness?
The SSA imposes a five-month waiting period from when it determines you first became disabled. Once the five-month period passes, your benefits payments will commence. In many cases, the waiting period has already passed by the time your application is approved.
If you were disabled before applying for disability, Social Security will pay retroactive benefits for up to one year before you applied. Thus, when you figure in the five-month waiting period, you can only receive benefits for disabilities that began 17 months before you apply. You will lose the opportunity to receive benefits for every month you wait beyond this time. Contact us today to start your claim.
Schedule Your Free Consultation with an Experienced Disability Lawyer Today
We’re dedicated to helping those who need it most. Whether your disability claim was denied or you want to ensure your application is approved the first time, call our experienced Melbourne Social Security Disability Lawyers today at (321) 306-0104 to schedule your free consultation.
1901 S Harbor City Blvd
Suite 504
Melbourne, FL 32901
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