Pennsylvania Social Security Disability Lawyer

When you’re applying for Social Security disability benefits in Pennsylvania, you need the best Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer you can find. A lot of lawyers say they’re the best, but we have the awards and reviews to back it up. Attorney Patrick J. Best has not only been named a Super Lawyer Rising Star by Philadelphia Magazine, he is the author of The Essential Social Security Disability Survival Guide, and the host of the YouTube show “Social Security Disability with Patrick J. Best, Esq.” Need we say more?

Social Security Disability in Pennsylvania

With three offices in Pennsylvania, we are close to you no matter where you live. But before you even come into our office, we have free resources to help you get the process started.

First, Attorney Best hosts the ARM Lawyers YouTube show “Social Security Disability with Patrick J. Best, Esq.” in which he answers common questions from clients. This is a great starting point for many people. We address many of the common questions about the Social Security disability process in these videos.

Social Security Disability with Patrick J. Best, Esq.

What to Expect at My Disability Hearing - Pennsylvania Social Security Disability Attorney

How to Prepare for My Social Security Hearing - Pennsylvania Social Security Disability Attorney

Second, Attorney Best offers his book, “The Essential Social Security Disability Survival Guide“, for FREE, just by requesting a copy. As part of the ARM Yourself With Knowledge series, this guide aims to help you navigate the process of filing for Social Security disability benefits from application through appeal.If you would like to discuss your personal situation or if we didn’t answer your specific questions in our show, just give us a call and we’d be happy to discuss your case. Our consultations are completely free so you have nothing to lose. If you’d prefer to e-mail us, just click here for a free consultation.

Social Security Disability Insurance in Pennsylvania

The SSDI program pays benefits to workers who have disabilities that are severe enough to impair them from working. This program is separate and distinct from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. Although there are some similarities between the programs. The SSDI program functions like an insurance program. Workers pay “premiums” in the form of taxes withheld in their paychecks.

In Pennsylvania, Social Security Disability Insurance applications are processed by the Bureau of Disability Determination. If you’re applying for disability benefits, you need a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer who knows the process and knows how to navigate the Bureau of Disability Determination.

While you may have seen advertisements for large national firms, these firms rarely have an actual presence in Pennsylvania. This tends to show in the way these firms handle Social Security Disability cases in Pennsylvania. You need a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer who handles cases in Pennsylvania and has offices in Pennsylvania.

SSDI benefits can greatly affect your quality of life. Our Pennsylvania Social Security disability attorney knows how important your case is, and knows how important the benefits would be. Whether you’re applying for SSDI or appealing a denial of SSDI, we can help.

Social Security Disability Process in Pennsylvania

The Social Security disability process in Pennsylvania starts with applying for SSDI. If your application is denied, you are afforded a series of appeals. We discuss the Social Security disability process in detail here, but we will outline the process below.

Applying for Social Security Disability in Pennsylvania

We typically recommend that you file your application for disability benefits in PA with a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer who knows the process. Too many times, people who file the application on their own inadvertently include incorrect information. Sometimes, phrasing things the wrong way can cause you to lose your claim!

It’s always better to speak with a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer first to make sure the application is completed properly. Moreover, your application will be processed at a local, Pennsylvania field office. A Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer will work with these field office routinely and will be familiar with each field office’s individual practices.

Filing for Reconsideration in Pennsylvania

If your Social Security disability application has been denied, you will need to file a Request for Reconsideration. If your application has been denied, you should contact a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer who is familiar with the reconsideration process.

Much like the Social Security disability application, the Reconsideration will be processed at a local, Pennsylvania field office. A Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer works with these field office routinely and will be familiar with each field office’s individual practices.

Social Security Disability Hearing in Pennsylvania

If your Request for Reconsideration has been denied, you will need to file a Request for Hearing with an Administrative Law Judge. The hearing is one of the most important parts of the Social Security disability process. To start, it has one of the highest probabilities of success if you have the right Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer. Moreover, the Social Security disability hearing process is one of the last opportunities for you to submit evidence in support of your claim. While you can appeal the decision after the hearing, you may not be able to add evidence. If you do not present your case properly at the hearing you can destroy your claim!

While it’s important to have a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer at every stage of the process, the hearing stage is particularly important. There are only a handful of Social Security hearing offices in Pennsylvania. Each of these Pennsylvania hearing offices has their own Administrative Law Judges. Since a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer has hearings in front of these judges routinely, that lawyer will know the judge’s preferences.

If you are located in Pennsylvania, you may be assigned to any of the following hearing offices:

Elkins Park: Suite 250, 8380 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027;
Harrisburg: 8th Floor, 2 North 2nd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101;
Johnstown: Suite 200, 334 Washington Street, Johnstown, PA 15901-9954;
Philadelphia: 21st Floor, 1601 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103;
Philadelphia East: Suite 502, 833 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107;
Pittsburgh: Suite 2308, 1000 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222;
Seven Fields: One Adams Place, Suite 200, 300 Seven Fields Boulevard, Mars, PA 16046;
Wilkes-Barre: Stegmaier Building, Suite 201, 7 North Wilkes-Barre Boulevard, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702.

You’d be surprised, but a lawyer’s relationship with a judge is an important part of the process. A lawyer unfamiliar with a particular judge may not know the best way to approach your case.

If your lawyer doesn’t have offices in Pennsylvania, your lawyer does not likely practice in Pennsylvania routinely.

Appealing Social Security Disability Decision in Pennsylvania

If you are denied benefits after a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge, you will need to appeal the decision to the Appeals Council. During the Appeals Council process, it is important to have a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer on your side. Many people are surprised to learn that while the Social Security Act is a federal law, it can be applied differently from state to state. If you don’t have a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer, you may miss out on some arguments that are Pennsylvania specific.

While you may be told that any lawyer can file a Request for Review to the Appeals Council, if you live in Pennsylvania, you should have your Request for Review filed by a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer with offices in Pennsylvania.

File a Civil Action in Pennsylvania

If your Request for Review is denied by the Appeals Council, you are officially out of appeals within the Social Security Administration. Your sole remaining remedy is to file a Civil Action in Federal District Court. Many lawyers who handle Social Security disability cases do not handle Federal District Court cases.

If you need to file a Civil Action in Pennsylvania, you need a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer who knows the Federal District Court process. There are three Federal District Courts in Pennsylvania: the Eastern District, the Middle District, and the Western District. Each of these District Courts has their own judges. Each Court and each Judge applies the law differently.

Many people are surprised to learn that you don’t only need a Pennsylvania Social Security disability lawyer to file a claim in Federal District Court, you need a lawyer who has specific experience within the proper District Court.

Pennsylvania Counties Served

We handle Social Security disability cases throughout Pennsylvania. Some of the common counties were serve are as follows:

If your county is not listed, call us. While these are the counties we typically serve, we’ve handled cases as far away as Pittsburgh upon request.

Contact a Pennsylvania Social Security Disability Lawyer today

Our Social Security disability attorneys strive to make this process as easy as possible. Contact our law office today to schedule a free consultation! Call or reach out to your closest Pennsylvania office:

The best part is that we can start the whole process over the phone or by video conference so you don’t even need to come into the office! We make everything as easy as possible for you from start to finish. Call us today.