If you are trying to apply for Social Security Disability benefits in Grand Rapids or anywhere else in the U.S. during this election cycle, you may find that it proves more difficult than you had anticipated. In almost every discussion regarding budgetary concerns, the deficit, or “what is wrong with America,” talk concerning the “dependency boom” is heard.
The argument runs something along the lines of “the safety nets that we have provided to help the poor, the disabled, and the infirm are what is causing them to be poor, disabled, and infirm.” The rhetorical outcome of such logic is that America needs to cut back on the number of safety nets in order to encourage folks back to work. Among programs that get lumped in with the dependency boom are food stamps, Social Security Disability, and Medicare.
The problem with such political rhetoric is that though it may stir a crowd and gain applause, it does not recognize that there are those who truly need the safety of the net to be there. People who are truly disabled and can no longer work rely upon being able to apply for Social Security Disability. Those in Grand Rapids who have lost jobs still need to feed their children and rely on food stamps in order to do so.
Yes, there are a record 45 million people who are on food stamps. Yes, there are those who manipulate the Social Security Disability system unfairly. However, the response to such issues should not be to punish those who truly need the aid, but to reform the system. Unfortunately, what has happened, however, is that it has become a bureaucratic nightmare to try to apply for Social Security Disability. What was once a simple process of applying for benefits and giving a doctor’s verification of disability has become a seemingly endless pile of paperwork, documentation, and hearings.
The fact is that Social Security Disability fraud cases account for a statistically insignificant number of those who apply for benefits. However, that insignificant statistic has made it more and more difficult for those with just claims to apply. One way to assuage that difficulty is to consult with an attorney who has experience in dealing with the Social Security Administration in general, and with SSD cases in particular.
Though it may sound somewhat extravagant to retain the services of a Grand Rapids attorney simply in order to apply for Social Security Disability benefits, the relief from stress and hassle alone is worth the effort. An SSD attorney understands the system from personal experience in a way that most people cannot. In addition, having an attorney leads to more favorable outcomes in many cases.
