| West Los Angeles is a district in Los Angeles | | | | 1. Apply online at or |
| with an affluent neighborhood. Its central | | | | |
| location has made it a locus of commercial | | | | 2. Call this toll-free number, |
| development, with several high-rise office | | | | 1-800-772-1213, to set an appointment. |
| buildings. | | | | |
| | | | When to Apply |
| It may seem that people in an affluent | | | | |
| neighborhood like West Los Angeles are | | | | As soon as you become disabled, you should |
| without need of disability benefits. The | | | | apply for disability benefits. This is |
| contrary appear, however. In fact, some of | | | | because it can take a long time to process an |
| its residents just like any other are in bad | | | | application for disability benefits, usually |
| need of disability benefits. | | | | three to five months. |
| | | | |
| Claimants may encounter some problems that | | | | What to submit |
| usually arise in pursuing those benefits. In | | | | |
| which case, West Los Angeles Disability | | | | To apply for disability benefits, you will |
| Benefits Lawyers are always within reach at | | | | need to complete an application for Social |
| this part of California. | | | | Security Benefits and the Disability Report. |
| | | | |
| Disability Benefits | | | | In doing so, the following information must |
| | | | be submitted: |
| Disability is inevitable. Studies show that a | | | | |
| 20-year-old worker has a 3:10 ratio of | | | | • Social Security number; |
| becoming disabled before reaching retirement | | | | |
| age. | | | | • birth or baptismal certificate; |
| | | | |
| It is always an advantage to be knowledgeable | | | | • Names, addresses and phone numbers of |
| with the programs of the government that deal | | | | the doctors, health providers, hospitals and |
| with disability. | | | | clinics and dates of your check ups; |
| | | | |
| Disability benefits are paid through two | | | | • Names and prescribed amount of all |
| programs: the Social Security disability | | | | the medicines you take; |
| insurance program and the Supplemental | | | | |
| Security Income (SSI) program. | | | | • Medical records from your doctors, |
| | | | therapists, hospitals, clinics and |
| Who are entitled? | | | | caseworkers in your possession; |
| | | | |
| Social Security pays benefits to those who | | | | • Laboratory and test results; |
| cannot work because they have a medical | | | | |
| condition that is expected to last at least | | | | • A summary of where you worked and the |
| one year or result in death. | | | | kind of work you did; and |
| | | | |
| Federal law observes this very strict | | | | • A copy of the most recent W-2 Form |
| definition of disability. While some programs | | | | (Wage and Tax Statement) or a federal tax |
| give money to people with partial disability | | | | return for the past year, if you are |
| or short-term disability, Social Security | | | | self-employed. |
| does not. | | | | |
| | | | In addition to this form, other forms must be |
| Earning Requirement | | | | filled out. One form gathers information |
| | | | about your medical condition and how it |
| In general, to acquire disability benefits, | | | | affects your ability to work. Other forms |
| you must meet two different earnings tests: | | | | give doctors, hospitals and other health care |
| | | | professionals who have treated you permission |
| 1. A "recent work" test, which is based on | | | | to send information regarding your medical |
| your age at the time you became disabled; and | | | | condition. |
| | | | |
| 2. A "duration of work" test to show that you | | | | Upon disability, it is always advisable to |
| worked long enough under Social Security. | | | | file your disability claim without any delay. |
| | | | |
| How to Apply | | | | To help you with disability claims and other |
| | | | related issues, you can seek the services of |
| There are two ways on how to apply for | | | | our skilled Los Angeles disability benefits |
| disability benefits. You can either: | | | | lawyers. You can log on to our website to |
| | | | avail of our free case evaluation. |