How To Apply For Disability In Yakima And Throughout Central Washington
Last updated on January 3, 2025
Applying for monthly checks from Social Security Disability is complicated, but a lawyer from Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC, can help.
Get Help With Your Social Security Disability Application
Your doctor said you shouldn’t work because of your health problems. Social Security Disability benefits and the monthly checks they provide could now be the key to maintaining your financial stability.
But you wonder, “How do you apply for disability benefits?” Maybe you’ve heard that the process is complicated.
Help is here.
The attorneys at Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC, have helped thousands of people apply for disability.
We can guide you through every step. On this page, we’ll explain the basics of applying.
We know this is about more than just money – it’s about protecting your independence and dignity.
If you can’t work, let us go to work to get you benefits.
How Do I Know If I Qualify For Benefits?
Social Security has these conditions to qualify for disability benefits.
- You worked and have a substantial record of paying into the Social Security system.
- Because of health problems, you cannot continue in your job.
- You also cannot switch to another job.
- Your medical conditions have lasted, or will last, at least a year – or eventually lead to death.
Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC, has been helping people prove they meet these conditions for years in Yakima, Kennewick, Sunnyside, Spokane, Richland, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Walla Walla and across Central Washington.
You Pay No Attorney Fee until you win. And we don’t charge you anything for talking to us about your case.
How To Apply For Disability: The Evidence You Submit
To meet the qualifications above, you have to show Social Security the evidence.
Evidence in a Social Security Disability case includes:
- Medical test results
- Reports from medical exams
- Statements from doctors
- Lists of medications
- Statements from people who know you
- Details on the demands of your job
Applying for Social Security Disability benefits when you can’t work can seem like a lot of work.
You’re probably not feeling like taking on a big project right now. This is what the disability attorneys at Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC, are for.
Remember this: You earned these benefits when you worked and paid into the Social Security system. You shouldn’t let the legwork scare you away from getting all the financial help you can.
Does My Health Problem Qualify For Disability Benefits?
You can get Social Security Disability benefits with just about any medical condition. But proving that your health problem is severe enough to keep you from working can look different with different diseases. You can see what the disability qualifying process looks like for several illnesses:
- Back pain: Severe, chronic back pain that limits mobility and prevents work-related activities
- Cancer: Active cancer or lasting effects of treatment that significantly impair daily functioning
- Chronic fatigue: Constant fatigue that really limits physical or mental activities
- Chronic pain: Documented, severe pain that limits the ability to perform basic work functions
- Diabetes: Uncontrolled diabetes with complications affecting major body systems
- Fibromyalgia: Widespread pain and fatigue that severely impacts daily activities
- Heart disease: Cardiovascular conditions that limit physical exertion and work capacity
- Lupus: Autoimmune disorder with symptoms affecting multiple body systems
- Multiple sclerosis (MS): Neurological impairments that interfere with mobility or cognitive function
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Severe anxiety, flashbacks or other symptoms that impair social and occupational functioning
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Joint inflammation and pain that limits movement and ability to perform work tasks
An experienced disability lawyer knows what you need to show Social Security about your particular medical diagnosis – helping you secure important benefits whether you’re under 50 or older. Call Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC‘s office at 509-606-6917 or complete this online form to schedule a free case review.
How Your Lawyer Helps You Apply For Disability
One of the top tips for applying for disability benefits is that it’s a good idea to work with a lawyer from the very beginning of your Social Security Disability application.
While there are non-attorney advocates, choose experienced disability lawyers who actually hold state bar licenses and can provide legal services in the state of Washington. They will help you avoid mistakes that hurt your chances of getting benefits later.
The following are other things your disability attorney can do for you:
- Answers your most pressing questions
- Helps you fill out all the forms
- Gathers your medical evidence
- Gathers your work history
- Makes sure your information is complete
- Makes sure your information is correct
- Makes sure you provide the information that Social Security wants
- Keeps you on top of important deadlines
- Prepares you to speak to a disability judge if needed
When your health is giving you trouble, and your energy level isn’t what it used to be, a lawyer eases your burden.
And because of the rule that you don’t pay an attorney fee until you win benefits, the risk is low for you.
Why Social Security Denies Claims Like Yours
Even after all of this, most people are denied when they first apply for Social Security Disability benefits, which has thousands of rules, regulations and procedures.
Denials can happen for many reasons:
- Your doctor doesn’t know the legal definition of a disability.
- A Social Security employee fails to obtain medical records.
- Social Security finds an error or inconsistency in your information.
When you run into any of these problems, you can file an appeal.
Appeals give you a chance to correct these issues and still win benefits.
If you reach the stage of a hearing with a Social Security administrative law judge (ALJ), one government study found your chances of approval are almost three times higher if you have a representative like a lawyer with you.
Set Up A Free Social Security Disability Consultation With Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC
Tom Bothwell of Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC has more experience in Social Security Disability than any other attorney in Central Washington. Don’t take chances with your financial future. If you’re wondering, “How do I apply for disability benefits?” Contact us.
Call us at 509-606-6917 or through this online form. We offer free consultations and speak English and Spanish, making communication easy.
Social Security Disability income could go a long way toward keeping you on steady ground while you’re dealing with health problems that stop you from doing everything you used to do.
