Social Security Disability Lawyer in Shelby, NC

If a health condition has kept you from working, the Social Security process can add paperwork and uncertainty at a difficult time. Dr. Ted Injury Law assists people in Shelby and Cleveland County with Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and appeals after a denial.

Our first step is to understand where you are in the process. We can explain what the Social Security Administration (SSA) is evaluating, help organize medical and work evidence, track deadlines, and prepare for an administrative hearing when appropriate. No lawyer can promise that SSA will approve a claim, and an initial denial does not necessarily end the process.

If you received a denial notice, review it promptly. SSA generally requires an appeal within 60 days after you receive the notice. SSA usually presumes that you received it five days after the notice date, unless you can show that it arrived later. Extensions may be available for good cause. Review the official SSA appeal process, call (866) 382-3610, or request a free case review.

Where Are You in the Social Security Disability Process?

People contact us at different stages. You may be:

• Preparing an initial SSDI or SSI application
• Waiting for a decision or responding to an SSA request
• Reviewing an initial denial and deciding whether to request reconsideration
• Appealing a reconsideration denial and requesting a hearing
• Preparing for a hearing or reviewing an unfavorable hearing decision

Tell us which stage describes your situation. That helps the legal team identify the deadline, notice, and evidence that matter first.

You do not need to collect every possible record before asking for help. SSA’s Adult Disability Starter Kit specifically cautions applicants not to delay filing only because they do not have or remember all requested information.

What Is the Difference Between SSDI and SSI?

SSA administers two different disability programs:

• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is generally based on a person’s work history and Social Security work credits. The number and timing of required credits can depend on the person’s age when the disability began.
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program for people with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older. SSI does not require the same work-credit history as SSDI.

Some people may qualify for both programs. Eligibility and payment amounts depend on the person’s medical, work, income, and resource information. The SSA disability and SSA SSI pages provide current program details.

If the disabling condition began with an on-the-job injury, a separate Shelby workers’ compensation claim may provide medical or wage benefits under different rules.

How Does SSA Decide Whether an Adult Is Disabled?

SSA generally uses a five-step evaluation for an adult disability claim:

1. Current work: Is the claimant performing work that SSA considers substantial gainful activity?
2. Severity and duration: Does the claimant have a medically determinable impairment, or combination of impairments, that significantly limits basic work activities and meets the duration requirement?
3. Listed impairments: Does the condition meet or medically equal an impairment in SSA’s Listing of Impairments?
4. Past work: Considering the claimant’s residual functional capacity, can the claimant still perform relevant work done in the past?
5. Other work: Considering residual functional capacity, age, education, and work experience, can the claimant adjust to other work?

A condition does not have to meet or equal a Blue Book listing for SSA to continue evaluating the claim. When a condition does not satisfy a listing, SSA may assess what the person can still do on a regular and sustained basis and then evaluate past work and other work. SSA’s explanation of steps four and five provides more detail.

What Evidence Can Help Explain Your Limitations?

A diagnosis is important, but SSA also evaluates how symptoms and limitations affect the ability to work. Useful information may include:

• Names and contact information for doctors, hospitals, therapists, and other treatment providers
• Treatment dates, diagnoses, test results, surgeries, and hospitalizations
• Medications, treatment plans, side effects, and assistive devices
• Specific limits involving sitting, standing, walking, lifting, reaching, using the hands, concentrating, remembering instructions, interacting with others, or maintaining a work schedule
• Job titles and a detailed description of duties from relevant past work
• Dates when the condition began affecting work, changes in hours or duties, absences, and unsuccessful work attempts
• Copies of SSA notices and forms already submitted

Consistency matters. Medical records, work-history forms, and statements about daily activities should describe the claimant’s limitations accurately and in context. The goal is not to exaggerate a condition. It is to give SSA enough reliable information to understand what the person can and cannot sustain in a work setting.

What Happens After SSA Denies a Claim?

SSA describes four possible levels of appeal:

1. Reconsideration: A new reviewer considers the claim and any additional evidence.
2. Administrative law judge hearing: If reconsideration is unsuccessful, the claimant may request a hearing before an administrative law judge.
3. Appeals Council review: The claimant may ask the Appeals Council to review an unfavorable hearing decision.
4. Federal court review: After the administrative appeal process, a claimant may have the option to seek review in federal district court.

The correct next step depends on the notice and the claim’s current stage. An attorney can review the decision, identify the appeal deadline, determine what evidence may be missing or inconsistent, and prepare the claimant for questions about medical limitations, daily activities, and work history.

How Can a Shelby Social Security Disability Lawyer Help?

Depending on the stage of the claim, a lawyer may:

• Evaluate whether SSDI, SSI, or both programs may apply
• Review the denial notice, claim file, and applicable deadline
• Help complete forms accurately and consistently
• Identify missing medical, work, or functional evidence
• Communicate with SSA and respond to requests for information
• Prepare the claimant for an administrative hearing
• Question vocational or medical witnesses when appropriate
• Explain the decision and available next steps

The client remains involved in the claim. A good working relationship includes explaining what information is needed, why it matters, and what the legal team is doing at each stage.

How Do Social Security Disability Attorney Fees Work?

SSA must generally authorize fees charged for representation before the agency. If SSA favorably decides a claim and the decision results in past-due benefits, a qualifying standard fee agreement generally limits the authorized fee to the lesser of 25 percent of past-due benefits or the maximum amount in effect on the date of the favorable decision. Fee petitions, two-tier agreements, court representation, and out-of-pocket expenses follow different rules. SSA generally does not authorize case expenses.

Before representation begins, the firm should explain the written fee agreement, any potential expenses, and when a fee may be owed. SSA’s current Fee Agreement for Representation explains the standard federal framework.

Local Help for Claimants in Shelby and Cleveland County

Dr. Ted Injury Law has a Shelby office at 522 E Dixon Blvd, Shelby, NC 28152. Jeffrey Kyriakakis has been licensed to practice law in North Carolina since 1994, and his practice includes Social Security disability claims.

Our team can meet with you to review the status of your claim, discuss the information SSA has requested, and explain the next step. We will also tell you what the firm can and cannot do before you decide whether to hire us.

Frequently Asked Questions About Social Security Disability Claims

Can I qualify if my condition is not in the Blue Book?

Possibly. Meeting or medically equaling a listing can lead to a finding of disability at step three, but SSA may continue to steps four and five when a condition does not satisfy a listing. At those stages, SSA considers residual functional capacity, past work, and the ability to adjust to other work.

How long do I have to appeal a denial?

SSA generally requires an appeal within 60 days after you receive the notice. SSA usually presumes that you received it five days after the notice date, unless you can show that it arrived later. Extensions may be available for good cause. The notice and current stage of the claim control, so review the notice promptly.

Can someone qualify for both SSDI and SSI?

Yes. Some claimants qualify for SSDI based on their work record and for SSI based on limited income and resources. SSA evaluates the requirements for each program separately.

Should I wait to apply until I have every medical record?

SSA advises applicants not to delay filing only because information is missing. Gather what you have, keep a list of treatment providers, and use SSA’s Adult Disability Starter Kit to organize the remaining information.

Talk With a Social Security Disability Lawyer in Shelby

Tell us whether you are preparing an application, waiting for a decision, reviewing a denial, or getting ready for a hearing. A focused case review can help identify the deadline and information that matter first.

Call (866) 382-3610 or contact Dr. Ted Injury Law for a free case review. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Representation begins only after the firm and client sign a written agreement.