New Bedford, Massachusetts is a city in Bristol County, located 58 miles south of Boston. New Bedford covers an area of 24 square miles and has a population of 95,072 residents according to the 2010 U.S. Census. The local economy in New Bedford has historically been fishing and manufacturing and while both industries still play significant roles in the overall economic landscape of New Bedford, the number of jobs in the healthcare sector has steadily increased over the last decade.
The Social Security Administration reports that there were 41,480 people listed as beneficiaries of either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) who were being served by the New Bedford SSA field office. If you are applying for social security disability in New Bedford and you have suffered an injury that keeps you from being able to work for at least a year, you will need to provide medical proof of your disability in order to receive benefits. As well, qualifying for benefits requires you to have earned a sufficient amount of work credits through employment at a job covered by social security insurance. You can find out if your job is covered by social security insurance by the presence of the social security tax (FICA) being withheld from your paycheck.
Apply for New Bedford Social Security Disability Benefits
Applying for social security disability benefits in New Bedford can be done online or at a local SSA field office. Winning your SSD case, on the other hand, can prove to be far more challenging than simply submitting the application. Less than 40% of initial social security disability claims in the state of Massachusetts are awarded. It is often the case that claims which have been denied are denied because there is insufficient medical evidence contained in the file to back the applicant’s disability claim.
If you are applying for social security disability in New Bedford, it is important that you are able to substantiate your disability claim. Doing so requires the help of a licensed New Bedford social security disability attorney. If you have applied for benefits and your initial claim was denied, you will have 60 days from the day you receive a decision letter to appeal the SSA’s decision. Statewide, only 21.2% of appeals are awarded in Massachusetts. If your appeal is also denied, you can have your New Bedford SSD case heard by an administrative law judge in the Providence hearing office. At the hearing level, 43.2% of all disability cases heard in the Providence hearing office are awarded.
Listed below are the local Social Security Offices where a New Bedford Social Security applicant can file a claim for disability benefits:
New Bedford Social Security Disability
53 N. Sixth St
New Bedford, MA 02740-6130
New Bedford Social Security Disability Resources
Your medical records play a crucial part in determining your New Bedford social security disability case. Without the benefit of complete medical records which back your disability claim, your case will not be awarded. As soon as you are injured, you should seek treatment from a licensed medical professional. If you are finding that the cost of treatment is prohibitive, there are free/reduced-cost health clinics located in the New Bedford Area:
Center for Health and Human Services
28 Willow St
New Bedford, MA, 02740
Center for Human Services
850 Pleasant St Apt 1102
New Bedford, MA, 02740
Aurora Health Care Services, Inc.
90 Hatch St
New Bedford, MA, 02745
Healthcare for Women, Inc.
60 Brigham St
New Bedford, MA, 02740
Your New Bedford Disability Claim
Work with a New Bedford social security disability attorney to organize and ultimately win your disability case. An SSD lawyer will evaluate your claim and make the best decisions to improve your chances of winning your social security disability case. Your lawyer will file paperwork on your behalf and if you are denied benefits, he or she will also represent you throughout the appeals process.
The initial consultation with a disability lawyer is free and these individuals are only paid if you are awarded benefits. To learn more about hiring a Social Security attorney or to request a free evaluation of your case, click here.
