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How to Apply for SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance)

Helping disability claimants since 1996. Attorney Eitan Dagan has spent 30 years helping people through Social Security Disability claims.

To apply for SSDI, file an application with Social Security online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at a local Social Security office, and include full details about your medical care and your work history.

Reviewed by Eitan Dagan, attorney, on October 27, 2026.

Who can get SSDI

SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is for people who worked in jobs that paid Social Security taxes, and who have a medical condition that meets Social Security’s strict rules. In general, your condition must keep you from working for at least 12 months in a row, or be expected to cause death. Not sure SSDI fits you? Read SSI vs. SSDI.

Step by step

  • Step 1: Gather your medical facts. List every doctor, clinic, hospital and therapist, with addresses and dates. List your medicines and tests.
  • Step 2: Gather your work facts. List the jobs you had before you became disabled and what you did at each one.
  • Step 3: File the application. Apply online at ssa.gov, call 1-800-772-1213, or visit a Social Security office.
  • Step 4: Answer Social Security quickly. They may send forms about your daily life or ask you to see a doctor they choose. Answer on time and go to every appointment.
  • Step 5: Watch your mail. If you are denied, you usually have 60 days to appeal.

If you are denied, see Denied? How to appeal.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Leaving out a doctor or hospital. Social Security can only look at records it knows about.
  • Stopping treatment. Gaps in care can make it look like you are better.
  • Working above the earnings limit while your claim is pending.
  • Missing a deadline on a letter from Social Security.

How we help with your application

We go over your full medical history, request your records from every provider and follow up until they arrive, and write a legal brief for your claim. In downstate New York, we can send a driver to pick up your paperwork.

No fee unless you win. You will not be charged for case expenses if we do not win your case.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for SSDI?

You can apply online at ssa.gov, by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or at your local Social Security office. A lawyer can also help you file.

What do I need before I apply?

Have a list of every doctor, clinic and hospital that treated you, with dates; your medicines; your work history for the jobs you had before you became disabled; and your contact and bank details.

Do I need a lawyer to apply for SSDI?

No. You can apply on your own. A lawyer can help you avoid gaps in your medical records and handle appeals if you are denied. Your first talk with us is free.

How much does a Social Security Disability lawyer cost?

No fee unless you win. You will not be charged for case expenses if we do not win your case. If you win, the fee comes from your past-due benefits under the standard Social Security fee agreement, and the Social Security Administration sets and approves the fee. Under that agreement the fee is 25% of your past-due benefits, up to $9,200.

Can I work while my SSDI application is pending?

Sometimes, but be careful. In 2026, earning more than $1,690 a month ($2,830 if you are blind) is usually treated as substantial work, which can lead to a denial. In 2027 those amounts are $1,770 and $2,950.

Should I wait to apply?

No. Apply as soon as your condition stops you from working. SSDI back pay can only go back up to 12 months before the month you apply, and SSI does not pay for months before you apply.

Contact Law Offices of Eitan Dagan, P.C.

Law Offices of Eitan Dagan, P.C.
Main office: 86-52 Woodhaven Blvd, Woodhaven, NY 11421
Melville office: 200 Broadhollow Rd, Suite 207, Melville, NY 11747
Phone: 516-310-9160
Email: daganadmin@edaganlaw.com
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
Se habla español.

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