Social Security Disability
Michigan Social Security Disability: SSDI and SSI Referrals
Koussan Law does not handle Social Security Disability claims in-house. We are a Michigan personal injury trial firm. Disability practice before the Social Security Administration is its own discipline, with its own rules, its own deadlines, and its own federal fee structure — and it deserves a firm that does it every day.
What we do is take your call, listen to your situation, and connect you with an experienced Social Security Disability firm in our referral network. There is no cost to speak with us and no obligation.
SSDI and SSI Are Two Different Programs
People use "disability" to mean both, but they work differently, and which one applies to you changes the analysis.
SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is an earned benefit. You qualify through your own work history — you paid into Social Security through payroll taxes and accumulated enough work credits to be "insured." Your benefit amount is based on your earnings record. Your household assets do not matter.
SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is a needs-based program for people with limited income and resources. It does not depend on work history, which makes it the path for people who became disabled young, or who have not worked recently enough to remain insured for SSDI.
Some people qualify for both at once. Some people believe they qualify for SSDI and have actually fallen out of insured status without knowing it. This is one of the first things a disability firm will check.
What the Social Security Administration Requires You to Prove
SSA does not award benefits because you have a diagnosis. It awards benefits when a medical condition prevents you from doing substantial work. In broad terms, you must show that your condition is medically determinable and documented, that it prevents substantial gainful activity, and that it has lasted or is expected to last at least twelve months or to result in death.
Short-term injuries, however serious, are not what this program covers. Neither is a condition your records do not reflect. Medical documentation is the case.
A First Denial Is Not the End of the Claim
Most initial disability applications are denied, and people give up at that point every day. That is the single most costly mistake in this area. Denials are routine, they are appealable, and outcomes frequently change at the hearing level once someone builds the medical record properly and a judge hears the case.
The Appeal Path in Michigan
A Michigan claim moves through the following levels:
- Initial application — decided by Michigan's Disability Determination Services on the medical evidence in your file.
- Reconsideration — a fresh review by someone who did not decide your case the first time. Michigan was for years a "prototype" state that skipped this step; reconsideration has since been reinstated here.
- Hearing before an Administrative Law Judge — the level where representation matters most. You testify, and a vocational expert typically testifies about what work someone with your limitations could perform.
- Appeals Council review — a review of the judge's decision for legal error.
- Federal district court — a civil action challenging the final agency decision.
The Deadlines That End Claims
You generally have 60 days from the date you receive a determination to appeal to the next level. Miss it without good cause and you are usually starting over with a new application — which can cost you months of back benefits and, in an SSDI claim, can matter enormously if your insured status is about to lapse.
If you have a denial letter in hand, the clock is already running. That is the moment to call, not after.
How Disability Fees Work — They Are Not Like Injury Cases
Fees in Social Security Disability cases are set by federal law, not negotiated freely. A representative's fee must be approved by the Social Security Administration and is generally limited to a percentage of past-due benefits, capped at a maximum amount SSA sets and adjusts over time. The firm you are referred to will explain its fee agreement in writing before you sign anything.
What to Have Ready When You Call
- Any denial letters or notices from the Social Security Administration
- The date you stopped working, and the date you say your disability began
- A list of your treating doctors, hospitals, and clinics
- Your diagnoses and current medications
- Whether you have already appealed, and when
You do not need any of this to make the call. It simply makes the conversation more useful.
If Your Disability Came From an Accident
If the condition keeping you out of work was caused by a car crash, a fall, a defective product, or someone else's negligence, there may be a separate personal injury claim alongside the disability claim — and that part is work we do handle. A catastrophic injury, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or serious back or spinal disc injury can support both. Tell us how the condition started and we will tell you honestly whether there is an injury claim worth pursuing.
Call (313) 800-0000 or request a consultation online. We will listen, and we will connect you with the right firm.
