Clearwater is one of the cities in the greater Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area. This area is referred to generally as the Tampa Bay area. Clearwater is the county seat of Pinellas County, and is the 16th largest city in Florida. In the 2000 census, Clearwater had a population of over 108,000 people. Clearwater is known for its Fun N Sun Festival, held each year during April and May. There are a number of famous current or former residents of Clearwater, including Kirstie Alley, Evel Knievel, Lisa Marie Presley, and Hulk Hogan. Clearwater has three sister city partnerships, including Nagano, Japan; Kalamaria, Greece; and Wyong, New South Wales in Australia.
Are you living in Clearwater with a severe or disabling condition? Do you have a disability which has made it hard or impossible for you to keep employment? Maybe you have considered applying for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income before. As you might already know, applying for disability benefits can be a difficult and complex process. Some people never begin the process because it can be so daunting. Don't let this happen in your case. You do not need to go through the whole application process by yourself. You can get the help of a Clearwater Social Security Disability attorney who has experience in going through the process of applying for SSD benefits.
The laws regarding Social Security Disability benefits change over time and they can also be confusing. That is why it is beneficial to get the help of a lawyer to work with you through the disability benefits application process. You can meet with a Clearwater attorney to discuss your disability case, and he or she can let you know if you have a good possibility of receiving disability benefits from the SSA. If your attorney sees any weak areas of your case, they can mention these to you and help you work through the issues before you apply for benefits.
If you are awarded benefits, those benefits will begin approximately 6 months after the onset of your disability. If you have already been disabled for six months or more, you will likely begin to receive benefits right away and may even be entitled to a lump-sum back payment for time that you have already been unable to work.
Applying for Clearwater Social Security Disability Benefits
Working with the help of a Clearwater Social Security attorney can increase your chances of being awarded disability benefits from the SSA. Some people have gone through the application process on their own and found that their application was denied. Statistics have shown that people who were denied benefits might have been approved if they had worked with a Clearwater Social Security attorney when submitting their application. For some people, that disability benefits paycheck may be the only source of income they have so it is important to be approved as quickly as possible.
In order to receive disability benefits, a person needs to show that they are suffering from a long-term disability and that this disability has kept them from being able to work. A long-term disability is considered to be 12 months or longer. In order to receive disability benefits, you must show medical records which indicate the extent of your disability.
If you live in Clearwater, the Social Security office which would handle your case is located at 10200 49th St. North in Clearwater.
Clearwater Social Security Disability Resources
Another part of filling out your application for disability benefits is providing current medical records which indicate the extent of your disability. It can be hard to get current medical records without access to health insurance. There are, however, low-cost and free medical clinics which can help you. The following is a list of low cost or free medical clinics in the Clearwater area which may be able to see you and help you with the paperwork:
Clearwater Free Clinic
707 N. Fort Harrison Ave.
Clearwater, FL 33755
(727) 447-3041
Clearwater Community Health Center
1020 Lakeview Rd.
Clearwater, FL 33756
St. Petersburg Free Clinic
863 3rd Avenue N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 327-0333
Tampa Family Health Centers
8213 W. Waters Ave.
Tampa, FL 33615
(813) 490-5420
Your Clearwater Social Security Disability Claim
It is usually helpful to have the assistance of a Clearwater Social Security Disability lawyer help as you file your disability benefits claim. You don't have to pay anything up front to have the help of an attorney in applying for your Social Security Disability benefits. These attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means that they only get paid if you receive money from the Social Security Administration in the form of back pay. The attorneys receive 25% of the back pay from disability benefits that you receive, up to a maximum of $6,000.
Sometimes people file their claims for disability benefits and find that the application gets denied. If you have filed for benefits and have been denied, you might want to appeal to try to receive the disability benefits you may be entitled to. The appeal process, however, can also be long and confusing. If your application has been denied and you would like to appeal the SSA’s decision, you will definitely want to utilize the services of a Clearwater Social Security attorney who will be glad to walk you through the process step-by-step.
