Based in Saint Petersburg, Gibbons and Gibbons has decades of experience standing up for the rights of people with disabilities in Florida. Since Social Security Disability benefits are a federal benefit, we can and do represent disabled people across the United States.
Attorney E. Lynn Gibbons has been practicing Social Security Disability law for over 28 years. Learn some of her SSD tips here.
Social Security Disability insurance benefits are not a handout: It is an insurance program all working Americans MUST pay into each paycheck. If you have become disabled before retiring from the workforce and have paid into the program, you have earned the right to receive SSDI benefits. We will help you prove this to the Social Security Administration as quickly as possible.
If you have yet to work long enough to qualify for SSDI, you may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income. We can help you determine which program is for you and how to obtain benefits.
Get A Free SSD Case Review Today
For more information about how we can help you receive your rightful SSDI or SSI benefits, call our office to schedule a free consultation: 727-633-0000.
All consultations are confidential, and there is no fee unless we obtain benefits for you. You can conveniently sign with us via Docusign from anywhere in the country.
Personal Service, Experienced Guidance
Many of our SSD clients are already frustrated with the process when they walk into our office or call us. Either they have been denied benefits or feel lost and overwhelmed by the initial claims process.
Working with one of our talented Social Security Disability attorneys, E. Lynn Gibbons, Katelynn Gibbons, or Reilly Gibbons in our Saint Petersburg office is very different than working with the faceless bureaucracy of the SSA or a non-attorney representative.
We work with our clients one-on-one, providing personalized and dedicated legal representation for the same fee as a non-attorney representative. Why would you choose a non-attorney representative when you could have Ms. Gibbons, an attorney who has personally handled Social Security Disability claims for over 28 years, for the same fee?
Ways To Qualify For SSDI
In a perfect world, those who are disabled would be able to access the disability benefits and medical care they need quickly. The Social Security Disability Insurance system was designed for just that purpose, but unfortunately, many deserving people are denied benefits today.
To get your rightful benefits, working with an experienced and reputable SSDI attorney is wise. Based in Saint Petersburg, Gibbons and Gibbons provides legal counsel to those seeking SSDI benefits throughout Florida and across the US.
We do not charge clients for our Social Security Disability services unless we win benefits for them. When fees do apply, we charge the same percentage as non-attorney representatives, even though we are a licensed law firm with board-certified lawyers.
To be considered disabled, a claimant must have a physical and/or emotional condition that renders them incapable of performing substantial gainful activity for an expected period of at least one year or is expected to end in death. Deciding factors to determine qualification include a claimant's age, education, and past work history. Many hardworking people feel uncomfortable applying for SSD benefits because they incorrectly believe they are asking the government for a "hand-out." That is not true! Most of our Social Security clients have been paying into the Social Security system since they got their first part-time jobs as a teenager. An application for Social Security disability benefits is simply a request that the Administration apply the rules to their case and determine whether or not they can take their Social Security benefits early because of a disability that prevents them from working. It's certainly not a handout!
Claimants should apply as soon as you and your doctors agree that you should not be working due to a condition expected to last at least one year. Often, people have to wait and see what happens with their medical conditions and continue working but should apply as soon as they stop working and it is apparent that the condition is not going away.
Yes. Backdated benefits are awarded for up to one year before you apply as long as you were not working, and you can prove that you were disabled for that period.
Typically, you have 60 days to appeal any unfavorable decision on your disability claim. More often than not, claims are denied after the initial application stage. If the initial application is denied, as soon as our firm receives that denial letter, we send out the appeal form that same day to avoid any delays with the appeal process.
The timeframe to receive an initial decision varies from case to case based on the amount of medical evidence and the type of conditions you are claiming. However, six months is common for the SSA to make an initial decision on your application.
You can hire a representative at any time during the process. The representative will be paid out of any backdated benefits, usually at 25% of that amount. The representative's fee is typically a maximum of $7,200, but no fee is due unless we are successful in your claim. The fee is usually deducted automatically by the SSA and delivered directly to our firm. One thing that most social security claimants DO NOT KNOW before they hire a representative is that non-attorney representatives charge the same fee as an attorney who has been practicing social security law for over 28 years, like E. Lynn Gibbons. It doesn't make sense that so many people would put their family's livelihood in the hands of a non-attorney representative for the same cost as having a seasoned, skilled lawyer advocating their claim.
Anchored in Justice, Sailing Towards Your Compensation
