SSI for Californians

If you live in California you might be wondering about Supplemental Security Income or SSI for Californians. Gold Country Can help.

When is it a good time to file for a California SSI claim? The answer to this question varies a lot from the individual claimant to the claimant, but there are still many guidelines one has to follow to qualify for California SSI benefits.

Disabilities, chronic illnesses, and conditions can affect everyone in different ways. For one, someone could have suffered from an illness from a very young age while others develop one overtime or a traumatic injury triggered the development of one. Regardless, you must establish the severity of your condition and speak to a medical professional about your ability to work. They may professionally advise you to stop working, go on bed rest, have someone assist you in your home, etc. At this point, it might be a good idea to explore your options regarding supplemental income and health benefits.

The best time to file for Social Security Disability benefits is as soon as you are out of work due to your ailments. Even if you end up not qualifying or even if your claim ends up denied, many people think they have to wait over a certain time to file. If you file as soon as you are out of work, you can assist in gathering evidence over time while the claim is pending and cooperate with what Social Security asks of you. This could mean filling out questionnaires, going to evaluations, or simply answering questions over the phone.

Usually it’s in your best interest to have an attorney act as a middleman in this situation since they can provide a better buffer between you and the Social Security representatives. For example, before you answer their questions with vague or simple answers, a lawyer can better prepare and advise you on how best to answer the questions. That’s not to say that a lawyer will give you a specific answer that is sure to grant you California SSI benefits. As we’ve noted above, every case is different, but an attorney knows what Social Security is looking for. They can advise you to give them a certain amount of information in one aspect of your condition, or maybe recommend you refrain from giving too much information in another aspect. Every California SSI is extremely different, but the guidelines to qualify still remain the same.

Gold Country Workers’ Comp Center is a professional and successful law firm equipped to handle disability and workers’ comp claims. Our goal is to get you the long-term benefits you rightfully deserve. Call us for a free consultation at (530) 362-7188.