Facing a disability as a child can take a toll on the child both emotionally and physically. Children who are disabled in Pennsylvania may receive Social Security child disability benefits through the Social Security Administration's SSI program. However, these individuals under 18 years old must meet the administration's definition of disabled.
Meeting the definition of disabled used by the Social Security Administration is not as straightforward as it might sound. In fact, a child disability claim can be even tougher to win and more complex than an SSI claim made by an adult. Proper documentation and testing, however, can make it easier for you to prevail when filing a child disability claim, and selecting an attorney is an important part of this process.
The critical question that must be asked when filing a child disability claim is if the child has a condition, illness or disability that is preventing him or her from taking part in activities appropriate for his or her age. An attorney can help you to gather all required medical documentation to verify the severity of a child's condition. If necessary, the attorney can also help to arrange for IQ as well as achievement testing.
Through proper legal guidance, you can also efficiently obtain copies of a child's school IEP reports and grades as well as seek evaluations and questionnaire responses from the child's teachers. You can additionally receive help with the process of applying for Medicaid. An attorney can easily help you to handle a child disability claim at all stages of the process, from the application to an appeal, if needed, so that a disabled child receives the benefits to which he or she is entitled in Pennsylvania.