Dallas Disability Attorney - Local SSDI & SSI Appeals

What is the Difference Between SSDI and SSI 

The Social Security Administration runs two distinct disability programs. Navigating which one you qualify for can be confusing. Here is a simple breakdown of the differences between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in Texas:

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) SSDI is an insurance program that workers "pay into" through their payroll taxes.

• Work History Required: You must have a solid work history (usually 5 of the last 10 years).
• Income Limits: Not based on your current household wealth. It pays disabled individuals regardless of their current income or resources, as long as they are unable to work.
• Benefit Amount: Based on your prior earnings and work history.
• Healthcare: Comes with Medicare eligibility (after a waiting period).
• Who it is for: Disabled workers and adults who have been disabled since childhood.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) SSI is a needs-based public assistance program. It is funded by general taxes, not the Social Security Trust Fund.

• No Work History Required: You do not need to have paid into the system to qualify.
• Strict Income Limits: You must have a very limited income and resources (assets) to qualify.
• Benefit Amount: Provides a set federal maximum benefit based on financial need, not past income.
• Healthcare: Comes with automatic and immediate Medicaid eligibility in Texas.
• ‍Who it is for: Disabled adults with limited work history, and disabled children in financial need.

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Not sure which program applies to you?

Don't worry. When you contact Burke Barclay Law, we will evaluate your work history and financial situation to determine the appropriate program, or in some cases, both simultaneously.

Request Your Free Consultation

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Winning Claims for Severe Physical & Mental Impairments

The DFW metroplex is home to massive construction, logistics, and corporate industries. Over time, the physical and mental demands of these jobs can completely break down a worker's body. We frequently represent clients who can no longer perform their duties due to:

• Severe Physical Impairments (Primary Conditions): We aggressively pursue backpay for workers suffering from severe musculoskeletal disorders (such as degenerative disc disease and knee dysfunction), cardiovascular conditions (heart failure and severe coronary artery disease), neurological disorders (stroke recovery and neuropathy), and aggressive cancers.
• ‍Mental Health (Secondary Conditions): While conditions like generalized anxiety are difficult to win as standalone primary claims, we know exactly how to document them to win your case. We successfully claim severe depression, PTSD, and intellectual disabilities as incredibly powerful secondary conditions alongside your primary physical impairment. When your body breaks down, your mental health suffers. We make sure the judge understands the full picture of your suffering.

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Medical Records Are the Key to Winning

Winning an appeal requires continuous, well-documented medical treatment. If you do not have health insurance, do not give up. We regularly guide clients on how to establish care at local county facilities, such as Parkland Hospital in Dallas County or John Peter Smith (JPS) in Tarrant County, to ensure your medical records reflect the true severity of your condition.

Compassionate Allowances (Fast-Tracking Your Claim): Not every case takes years. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal illness (such as certain advanced cancers or early-onset Alzheimer's), your claim may qualify for the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances (CAL)Program: We know how to flag your application to expedite the approval process, getting you financial relief in a fraction of the usual time.

SSDI with Private Disability Policies in Dallas

Dallas is home to many professionals who rely on Short-Term Disability (STD) benefits or purchase Individual Disability Insurance policies. Unfortunately, when individuals attempt to use the benefits they paid for, they are often met with bad-faith denials from massive insurance carriers.

If your private disability claim was wrongfully denied, we aggressively fight back under state bad-faith insurance laws. We take on the corporate giants who wrongfully deny legitimate STD and individual claims, including:

• MetLife (often citing a "lack of objective evidence")
• Cigna / New York Life (disputing pre-existing conditions)
• Prudential (using aggressive surveillance and social media monitoring)
• Lincoln Financial, The Standard, and Liberty Mutual

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