Tacoma is the third-largest city in the State of Washington. The city also serves as the county seat for Pierce County. Also known as the “City of Destiny” (due to the fact that Tacoma was used as a western terminal for the Northern Pacific Railroad in the late 19th century and connected Tacoma’s bay with the railroad), Tacoma serves as a center of international trade. In fact, the port in Tacoma is Washington State’s largest Port. Tacoma is also home to the famous Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has reported that more than 121,000 people who are living in the State of Washington are currently receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. If you would like to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits in the State of Washington, you must suffer from a long-term (12 months or more) or permanent disability and that disability must prevent you from performing any type of work activity whatsoever.
While meeting the SSA’s disability criteria is a start, it is not enough in and of itself to qualify you for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. In addition to meeting the SSA’s criteria in terms of a disabling condition, a Tacoma disability applicant must also have earned enough work credits in order to qualify for SSDI disability benefits. If enough work credits have not been earned but the SSA finds that you are disabled, you may be able to qualify for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) disability payments if certain income and asset restrictions are met.
If you are awarded Social Security Disability benefits, your benefits will begin once you have met the six-month wait requirement that has been set forth by the SSA. This six-month period waiting period starts on the day that your disability began. If you have been disabled for six months or more at the time of your SSDI or SSI approval, you will begin receiving disability benefits right away. If you have been disabled for longer than six months, you will be entitled to back pay from the SSA.
Apply for Tacoma Social Security Disability Benefits
If you wish to apply for Social Security Disability benefits in the Tacoma area, it is in your best interests to consult with a Tacoma Social Security Disability attorney before you file your disability claim. The SSA will not approve you for disability benefits unless you fill out all of the claim forms properly and provide sufficient medical evidence to support your claim. In many cases, the services of an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer can ensure that you properly complete and submit your disability claim. Unfortunately, many disability applicants do not retain legal representation during the initial stage of the application process and, as a result, nearly 70 percent of disability applications are denied during the initial stage of the Social Security Disability claim process.
If your Social Security Disability claim is denied, you will need to pursue a disability appeal. These appeals normally consist of a Request for Reconsideration and a disability hearing before an administrative law judge. While the reconsideration request only takes three to six months to complete, nearly 80 percent of these requests are denied by the SSA. These applicants must then go on to the hearing stage of the appeal process. Unfortunately, it can take up to two years (or even longer) for a hearing to be scheduled before an administrative law judge. If you do need to attend a disability hearing, statistics have proven that you are much more likely to be awarded benefits at this hearing if you are represented by a Tacoma Social Security attorney.
The Social Security office that is in charge of processing Social Security Disability claims for Tacoma residents is located at 2608 S 47th Street in the city of Tacoma.
Tacoma Social Security Disability Resources
When it is time for you to submit your claim to this office, you absolutely must include up-to-date medical evidence. If you do not have current medical records, you will need to obtain medical services in order to receive them. This can prove to be difficult when you are faced with a lack of income and insurance. Fortunately, many low-cost medical clinics can help. Below are some low-cost clinics that serve residents of the Tacoma area:
Downtown Family Medical Clinic
1102 South I Street
Tacoma WA 98405
253-597-3813
Eastside Medical Clinic
1728 East 44th Street
Tacoma WA 98404
253-471-4553
McKinley Family Medical Clinic
3702 McKinley Ave.
Tacoma WA 98404
253-571-2380
Milgard Family Dental Clinic
1708 East 44th Street
Tacoma WA 98404
253-572-7002
Neighborhood Clinic - Tacoma
1323 S Yakima Ave
Tacoma WA 98405
253-627-6353
Parkland Family Medical Clinic
11225 Pacific Ave. S.
Tacoma WA 98444
253-536-2020
RotaCare Free Clinic - Tacoma
PO Box 1777
Tacoma WA 98445
253-370-3988
Sea Mar CHC -Tacoma Behavioral Health Clinic
1516 S 11th Street
Tacoma WA 98405
253-396-1634
Sea Mar CHC -Tacoma Dental Clinic
1112 S Cushman Street
Tacoma WA 98405
253-593-2144
Tacoma Medical Clinic
1112 S Cushman Street
Tacoma WA 98405
253-593-2144
Trinity Neighborhood Health Center
1615 6th Ave
Tacoma WA 98405
253-272-8819
Women's Health Clinic
3611 South D Street
Tacoma WA 98418
253-597-4163
Women's Health Clinic
3711 Pacific Ave 200
Tacoma WA 98405
253-471-3464
Your Tacoma Disability Claim
Many Social Security Disability applicants wonder what they can do to increase their chances of obtaining benefits during the initial stage of the application process. Your best bet is to retain the services of a qualified Tacoma disability attorney. Your attorney will review your disability case with you, determining whether or not you are likely to be awarded the benefits you are applying for, and will help you strengthen your disability claim, thereby increasing your benefits of approval from the SSA.
If, for some reason, you are not approved for benefits during the initial stage of the application process, your Tacoma disability lawyer will be able to represent you through each stage of the Social Security Disability appeal process. Statistics have proven that disability applicants who go into the appeal process with proper legal representation are more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who choose to represent themselves.
Please fill out the free disability evaluation form located on this site to be contact by a disability attorney or advocate in your area.
