Social Security Disability Lawyer in Ingleside, Texas

The Law Office of Kathleen L. Day represents Ingleside disability claimants and San Patricio County residents in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) cases. When you suffer an injury or become too ill to continue working, the federal disability system moves slowly, and most first applications come back denied. Attorney Kathleen Day has dedicated her entire career to SSDI and SSI work and nothing else. If a denial letter is in your hands or you are ready to file, call (361) 888-4342 for a free case review. 

SSD Claims in Ingleside and San Patricio County 

Ingleside disability claims start with an application to SSA, which routes your file to Texas Disability Determination Services for the first medical decision. That first decision is where most claims fail, and it is where preparation makes the difference. We prepare the SSA-3368 Adult Disability Report and the SSA-827 medical release so the record reaching the examiner documents the full reach of your limitations from day one. 

If your claim is denied and you request a hearing, an Administrative Law Judge reviews it through the Office of Hearing Operations that serves San Patricio County. The San Antonio Hearing office is located at 10222 San Pedro Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78216; phone number (855) 829-8915. San Patricio county does not have its own hearing office, so your case is routed to the San Antonio offices. The average wait time is 8-12 months.  As a San Patricio County disability attorney team based in nearby Corpus Christi, we handle the filing, the evidence, and every stage of appeal. 

How Ingleside's Port, Refinery, and Offshore-Fabrication Workers Qualify for Disability 

Ingleside's economy runs on heavy industry, and the conditions that end those careers map directly to how SSA decides a disability claim. Energy export terminals, refining and petrochemical operations, offshore platform fabrication, and maritime and longshore work all demand sustained physical effort that a serious medical condition takes away. 

Years of lifting, climbing, welding, and standing on hard surfaces wear down the spine, the knees, and the shoulders. Refinery and petrochemical exposure damages the lungs. Constant high-decibel work costs hearing. When one of these conditions, or a combination of them, stops you from holding a full workday, you have grounds for a claim. 

Here is the thing: SSA does not decide your case on a diagnosis alone. It builds a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC), which is its assessment of what you remain able to do despite your condition, then weighs that against your age, education, and past heavy work under the Medical-Vocational Guidelines. For a worker whose history is years of physical labor, those guidelines often carry real weight. The SSA evaluates these under its musculoskeletal (section 1.0), respiratory (section 3.0), Listings. 

How We Help Ingleside Residents 

We represent Ingleside residents from our office in Corpus Christi, a short 20 minute drive from town. Attorney Kathleen Day grew up in the Coastal Bend, and San Patricio County is part of the region she built her practice to serve. 

Kathleen L. Day was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1986 and has dedicated decades to Social Security Disability and SSI advocacy for South Texans. Attorney Liana Gonzales joined the firm after her 1995 bar admission. Both are members of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR).

We believe in our clients’ disability claims. We collect compelling medical evidence and expert diagnostic opinions, we prepare you for every stage, and we stick with you until your claim is resolved. The goal is the benefits you and your family deserve, right here in the Coastal Bend. 

SSDI vs SSI 

SSDI pays monthly benefits to workers who paid Social Security taxes long enough to earn the required work credits. SSI is a need-based program for people with limited income and resources, with no work-history requirement. The income limit is $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples. The current monthly SGA amount is $1,690. Many claimants qualify for one, and some qualify for both.  

The five-step process and the appeals stages 

SSA uses a five-step sequential evaluation to decide every claim. Initial applications are denied at roughly %65. Approval rates for reconsideration is roughly 10-15%, and the hearing level approval rate is roughly 45-58%.  If your initial claim is denied, you have 60 days from the date of the denial notice to request reconsideration, then another 60 days to request an ALJ hearing if reconsideration is denied. After the hearing come the Appeals Council and, finally, federal district court (the Southern District of Texas for Coastal Bend claimants).  

Attorney fees 

SSD representation works on a contingency fee that is set at up to 25% of your backpay and capped at $9,200 by federal law. You pay nothing up front, and a fee applies only if your claim is approved, paid from your back pay. 

Disclaimer: This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every disability case is different. For advice about your specific situation, contact a qualified Social Security Disability attorney or representative. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.