A young child receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will continue to receive support after a recent favorable decision by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The case, overseen by an administrative law judge, focused on the child’s ongoing developmental and neurological challenges.
The child’s mother turned to Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS) for help after the SSA determined her daughter no longer met the criteria for disability and planned to terminate benefits. The family’s FRLS attorney reviewed extensive medical records detailing the child’s developmental delays, physical challenges, and behavioral issues.
Initially, the child met disability criteria in one area but not another. The FRLS attorney advised the mother to secure additional therapies to strengthen the case. When the family secured evidence of future therapy enrollment, FRLS formally took on the case and prepared for the hearing.
Following a thorough review of the evidence and a comprehensive hearing, the judge issued a fully favorable decision. This ruling not only ensured the child’s SSI benefits would continue uninterrupted but also prevented the family from facing a potential overpayment of more than $31,000.
The FRLS attorney’s advocacy ensured that critical support remained in place for the child, demonstrating the vital role legal aid plays in protecting vulnerable families.