A Lifeline For DISABILITY BENEFITS AND COAL MINERS

Our office is experiencing some technical difficulties with the installation of our new phone system. If you need to reach our firm during this transition please call the following numbers for assistance:

ROANOKE OFFICE:
540-855-8280

BECKLEY OFFICE:
681-238-0880
304-860-7427
304-860-7348

Social Security

At Wolfe Williams & Austin, our attorneys and staff are proud of the fact that we represent Disability Claimants before the Social Security Administration (SSA). This law firm also represents SSA disability claims before the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals.

We work with the following types of Social Security benefits:

  • SSA Disability And Disabled Insurance Benefits (DIB) – paid to workers and/or dependents with eligibility based on work quarters acquired and amount earned within a certain number of years before the disability began. If you meet the disability Listings Standard, you are considered disabled without consideration of age, education or work experience.
  • Supplemental Security Income Benefits (SSI) – paid to those who do not qualify for SSA Disability or DIB, although those standards are used to determine disability. SSI is a need-based program that does not require work quarters; eligibility is based on the amount of money a household receives and/or owned property.
  • Widow/Widower Disability Benefits (WDB) – paid to surviving spouse of a wage earner (a worker who has paid into the SSA system). The surviving spouse must be 50 and disabled as defined under SSA DIB. Time limits after the death of a wage earner as well as his/her quarters of coverage are considered.
  • SSA Adult Child’s Disability Benefits – Children of wage earners can often collect SSA benefits, even if they are over 18 and disabled. The child cannot be married and must show disability before a certain age. The test for disability is basically the same as SSA DIB.
  • Child’s Supplemental Security Disability Benefits – paid to children younger than 18. The child must be severely impaired or meet a special listing standard. These benefits are in most cases very difficult to obtain due to recent changes in the law.
  • Other Issues – We have represented clients before SSA on several other issues, including paternity, retirement benefits and overpayments.

Wolfe Williams & Austin is dedicated to representing the disabled before the SSA. We are longstanding members of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR), which helps us keep up with ever-changing laws, rules and regulations, including recent court decisions affecting SSA benefits.

The information given here is but a very brief outline of the types of cases we have encountered in our practice. Should you have any questions concerning issues before the SSA, please contact our office.