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Marasco & Nesselbush Helps Quincy Residents Pursue Disability Benefits
A serious illness or injury can force you to stop working, making it difficult to pay medical expenses, support your family, and make ends meet.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may provide monthly benefits, but qualifying requires medical evidence and compliance with federal eligibility rules.
SSDI also requires a sufficient work history in most cases.
If Social Security denies your application, you generally have the right to appeal, but strict deadlines apply.
At Marasco & Nesselbush, our Quincy disability lawyers assist clients filing SSDI claims, seeking SSI benefits, and challenging denied applications.
Founded in 1999, Marasco & Nesselbush has a dedicated Social Security disability practice, attorneys with administrative hearing and federal court experience, and a Quincy office at 234 Copeland Street, Suite 210.
Contact Marasco & Nesselbush for a free consultation about an SSDI or SSI claim, or use the chat feature on this page to request assistance.
Why Choose Marasco & Nesselbush for a Quincy Disability Claim?
Social Security disability representation is an established part of our practice, supported by attorneys who have handled federal benefit disputes through multiple levels of review.
Our attorneys have represented clients seeking disability benefits through applications, administrative appeals, hearings, and federal litigation after unfavorable Social Security decisions.
Our disability practice offers the following experience and resources:
- Leadership in Social Security disability law: Founding partner Donna M. Nesselbush helped establish and has chaired the Rhode Island Bar Association’s Social Security Disability Committee, has written guides concerning disability claims, and has litigated matters before administrative law judges, the Appeals Council, federal district court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
- Federal court results in disability appeals: In 2009, the firm secured ten federal district court remands, requiring reconsideration of disputed Social Security decisions. The same account describes a successful court challenge resulting in retroactive disability benefits for a client who had undergone back surgeries.
- Massachusetts-admitted disability representation: Attorney Nicklyn Dolphin represents Social Security disability claimants and is admitted to practice in Massachusetts. Her biography also documents experience working in healthcare administration and with people facing financial hardship.
- Professional recognition for disability advocacy: Donna Nesselbush was named to the 2019 Rhode Island Super Lawyers list for Social Security Disability and received the Eileen P. Sweeney Distinguished Service Award in 2022 for her work concerning access to representation for Social Security claimants.
- A dedicated disability legal team: Our attorneys and support professionals assist with application paperwork, medical records, hearing preparation, and appeals, helping reduce the administrative stress of an already difficult period.
- Local access backed by an established firm: Our Quincy office serves people throughout Norfolk County and the South Shore, with the resources of a regional law practice founded more than 25 years ago.
Our clients deserve clear explanations and to be treated with respect, whether we are preparing an initial filing or challenging an unfavorable decision.
What Disability Benefits Can Quincy Residents Apply For?
The term disability insurance can refer to different programs with different eligibility rules.
The rules governing Social Security benefits also differ from those for employer-provided disability coverage.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
Social Security Disability Insurance is a federal program for eligible workers who have paid Social Security taxes and whose medical conditions prevent substantial work for the required duration.
SSDI eligibility depends on both the SSA’s disability standard and a sufficient work history under Social Security’s insured-status rules.
Approved applicants may receive monthly SSDI benefits, and certain spouses or children may qualify for benefits on the disabled worker’s record.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Supplemental Security Income provides needs-based payments to eligible people with limited income and resources who meet disability, blindness, or age requirements.
Unlike SSDI, SSI does not require a qualifying employment history.
In 2026, the federal SSI resource limits are generally $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple, with exclusions for certain assets, including a qualifying home and vehicle.
The Social Security Administration’s SSI eligibility rules also consider income, living arrangements, and other nonmedical factors.
Some people qualify for both SSDI and SSI, although other income can reduce an SSI payment.
Families using special needs trusts should examine how trust assets and distributions may affect SSI eligibility and payments.
Some attorneys handle trust drafting and guardianship planning as separate legal services; those arrangements may require specialized advice.
Employer and Long-Term Disability Insurance
Long-term disability insurance obtained through an employer or private insurance company is separate from Social Security disability benefits.
An employer-sponsored disability insurance policy may define disability differently, impose separate filing deadlines, or require coordination with SSDI payments.
The insurance company administering that coverage, rather than the SSA, generally decides a private disability claim under the applicable policy and law.
Private disability insurance payments generally do not reduce SSDI benefits, but a long-term disability policy may reduce its own payments after the claimant receives Social Security benefits.
Review the policy language before assuming that approval under one program determines coverage under another.
Injured and not sure what your case is worth? Find out for free.
Who Qualifies for SSDI Benefits in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts residents must satisfy the same basic SSDI requirements established by federal law as applicants in other states.
A medical diagnosis by itself is not enough because Social Security evaluates how the condition affects your ability to work.
The main eligibility considerations include:
- A qualifying medical condition: Your physical or mental impairment must generally be expected to last at least 12 consecutive months or result in death and must meet the SSA’s definition of disability.
- Work credits and insured status: Most adult applicants need a sufficient history of employment covered by Social Security. The number and timing of required credits vary by age and circumstances.
- Current earnings and work activity: In 2026, the usual substantial gainful activity threshold is $1,690 per month for nonblind applicants and $2,830 for applicants considered blind under SSA rules, subject to special rules, including those for self-employment.
- Ability to perform work: Social Security considers whether your limitations prevent relevant past work and, when applicable, other work existing in significant numbers in the national economy.
- Medical and vocational documentation: Treatment records and information about your age, education, work experience, and functional limitations help the agency evaluate your claim.
These figures are published in the SSA’s 2026 substantial gainful activity guidance and can change each year.
When evaluating a claimant’s ability to return to past relevant work, the SSA generally considers work performed within the preceding five years, rather than the former 15-year period.
Work credits and the date a person last met SSDI insured-status requirements are separate questions.
An experienced Social Security disability lawyer can review your employment history, the point when your condition interrupted work, and the available medical evidence before filing a claim.
Medical Conditions That May Support a Disability Claim
An illness or injury may support a disability claim when its documented effects prevent the type of sustained work Social Security requires, not simply because the condition has been diagnosed.
Conditions commonly evaluated in SSDI and SSI claims include:
- Musculoskeletal disorders, including serious back injuries, spinal conditions, and severe joint disease.
- Neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and certain traumatic brain injuries.
- Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases that limit physical exertion.
- Cancer and complications associated with treatment.
- Mental health conditions, including severe depression, bipolar disorder, and certain anxiety disorders.
- Autoimmune diseases, chronic pain conditions, and combinations of impairments that affect physical or cognitive functioning.
Not every person with one of these diagnoses will qualify.
Social Security evaluates the severity, duration, and documented effects of the condition, including whether a combination of impairments prevents sustained work.
For example, a person with chronic back pain may need records describing limits on sitting, standing, lifting, walking, and attending work reliably, rather than an imaging report alone.
How Our Quincy Social Security Disability Lawyers Can Help
Social Security applications and appeals can be complex because a claimant must document medical restrictions, relevant employment, and compliance with agency requirements.
Incomplete information about treatment, daily limitations, or prior jobs may leave the SSA without a full picture of why a person cannot work.
Depending on the stage of the case, our attorneys and legal team may assist with:
- Reviewing eligibility: Examining work credits, application dates, the claimed onset of disability, and whether SSDI, SSI, or both programs may be appropriate.
- Preparing the initial filing: Identifying the forms and information required by the SSA, reviewing the medical condition and work history, and addressing incomplete or inconsistent paperwork.
- Developing medical evidence: Identifying treatment sources, reviewing records, and seeking relevant opinions about the claimant’s work-related limitations.
- Responding to a denial: Reading the decision, identifying the reasons benefits were denied, and preparing an appeal within the required deadline.
- Preparing for hearings: Reviewing the disability record, developing arguments under federal regulations, preparing the client for questions, and addressing medical or vocational evidence before an administrative law judge.
- Evaluating further appeals: Reviewing an unfavorable hearing decision, preparing arguments on a client’s behalf, and assessing whether Appeals Council review or a federal court action is appropriate.
Disability applicants do not have to wait until a claim is denied to seek legal representation.
Our attorneys review forms and supporting records for gaps and explain what the SSA may still need, so clients can make informed decisions at each stage.
What Medical Evidence Is Important in a Disability Case?
The Social Security Administration evaluates both medical findings and how a condition affects the ability to function in a workplace.
Documentation that may strengthen a disability claim includes:
- Medical records from hospitals, primary care providers, specialists, and mental health clinicians.
- Imaging studies, laboratory results, examination findings, and other diagnostic reports.
- Treatment history, prescribed medications, side effects, and records of attempted therapies.
- Medical opinions explaining restrictions on lifting, sitting, standing, concentrating, interacting with others, or maintaining regular attendance.
- Information about previous jobs, physical duties, training, and the ability to perform those tasks after the disability began.
- Statements and reports describing symptoms and limitations, consistent with the available medical evidence.
A disability attorney may review whether the SSA obtained records from all relevant treatment sources or whether the record contains gaps.
A break in treatment caused by cost, lost insurance, or difficulty accessing care may also need an explanation supported by the facts.
A doctor’s statement that a person is disabled is not a substitute for clinical findings and evidence explaining the person’s functional restrictions.
Why Are Social Security Disability Claims Denied?
Disability claims may be denied for medical or nonmedical reasons.
The denial notice identifies the issues that must be addressed in an appeal.
Common reasons for denial include:
- Insufficient medical evidence: The records do not adequately document the severity, duration, or workplace effects of the illness or injury.
- Work or earnings issues: The SSA determines that the applicant is performing substantial gainful activity or can still perform qualifying work under its rules.
- Insufficient work credits: An SSDI applicant does not meet the program’s insured-status requirements, even if the medical condition is serious.
- Incomplete information: Missing treatment sources, unanswered forms, or inconsistent details prevent the agency from evaluating the claim accurately.
- Failure to cooperate with requests: An applicant does not provide requested information or attend an examination without an acceptable reason.
- SSI financial eligibility: A person seeking SSI has countable income or resources above the applicable limits.
In many cases, the disputed issue is not whether an applicant has a medical condition, but whether the submitted information establishes how severely that condition limits work.
Our attorneys review the denial to identify whether the dispute concerns missing medical evidence, employment and earnings, financial eligibility, or an error in applying federal law.
How to Appeal a Denied Disability Claim in Massachusetts
You generally have 60 days after receiving a Social Security disability denial notice to request an appeal.
The SSA ordinarily presumes the notice arrived five days after its date unless you show otherwise, and extensions may be available for good cause.
The SSA disability appeals process generally has four stages, each with its own requirements:
- Reconsideration: An examiner reviews the initial determination, considering the existing evidence and additional information submitted for the appeal.
- Administrative law judge hearing: After an unfavorable reconsideration, you may request a hearing at which an administrative law judge reviews the disability claim, testimony, and relevant medical and vocational evidence.
- Appeals Council review: After an unfavorable hearing decision, you may ask the Appeals Council to review the decision. It may deny review, issue a decision, or return the case for further proceedings.
- Federal district court: After completing the applicable administrative review process, a claimant may seek judicial review of the SSA’s decision in federal court.
A request for an administrative law judge hearing generally must also be filed within 60 days after the reconsideration decision is received.
Relevant medical evidence usually must be submitted or identified no later than five business days before a scheduled ALJ hearing, subject to SSA exceptions, as described in the agency’s hearing instructions.
Filing a new application does not automatically preserve the deadline to challenge a prior denial.
A successful appeal may require correcting missing medical or vocational evidence, identifying an error in the original decision, or both.
Our attorneys can review the denial notice, prepare the next filing on a client’s behalf, and submit relevant arguments and evidence within applicable deadlines.
What Happens at a Disability Hearing?
An administrative law judge may ask about your medical conditions, daily activities, previous employment, and the functional limitations that prevent you from working.
A vocational expert may also testify about the demands of past jobs or other work identified under Social Security’s rules.
An attorney familiar with disability hearings can prepare the claimant for questions, review the evidence in the record, and address testimony relevant to the SSA’s decision.
The judge may issue a favorable, partially favorable, or unfavorable decision after considering the record.
Talk to a lawyer and get a free case evaluation today.
How Disability Claims Are Handled in the Quincy and Boston Area
SSDI and SSI eligibility is governed by federal law throughout the country.
For Quincy residents, the local Social Security field office, Massachusetts disability examiners, and Boston hearing office may each have a role as a claim moves through the process.
Massachusetts lawyers handling SSDI claims need to understand both the federal regulations and the state and regional offices responsible for processing applications and appeals.
The Social Security Administration lists a Quincy field office among its Massachusetts locations and accepts disability applications online, by telephone, and through its field office system.
Medical eligibility determinations for Massachusetts applicants are handled by MassAbility Disability Determination Services, which has offices in Everett and Worcester.
At the hearing stage, the SSA’s Boston Office of Hearings Operations, located at 10 Causeway Street, serves the Quincy field office area, although the format and location of an individual hearing depend on SSA scheduling.
Our office at 234 Copeland Street, Suite 210, Quincy gives Norfolk County and South Shore residents a local point of contact for legal assistance with their disability claims.
Can You Receive SSDI Along With Workers’ Compensation or Other Disability Payments?
A person who is unable to work following an occupational illness or workplace injury may qualify to apply for both Massachusetts workers’ compensation and federal SSDI benefits.
Both forms of benefits may be payable in qualifying cases, but SSA rules can reduce SSDI payments when workers’ compensation and certain public disability payments, combined with Social Security benefits, exceed the applicable federal offset limit.
The effect depends on the type and amount of payments, including how a lump-sum workers’ compensation settlement is treated.
Our firm has published guidance on the interaction between SSDI and workers’ compensation.
A disability attorney should account for these payments and, when appropriate, coordinate with the lawyer handling a separate workers’ compensation case before settlement.
A private long-term disability insurance policy may require an SSDI application and may reduce its payments based on Social Security benefits received.
These are separate contractual provisions and should not be confused with the SSA’s eligibility or appeal rules.
How Much Does a Quincy Disability Lawyer Cost?
Marasco & Nesselbush offers a free case review for people seeking Social Security disability benefits or challenging a denial.
Disability attorneys commonly work under a contingency-based fee arrangement that depends on obtaining past-due benefits and requires Social Security Administration approval.
Under the SSA’s standard fee agreement process, an approved representative’s fee is generally limited to the lesser of 25% of past-due benefits or $9,200 for favorable decisions issued on or after November 30, 2024.
The $9,200 figure is the fee agreement limit, not an absolute cap on every possible fee authorized through a different procedure, such as a fee petition or certain federal court representation.
Attorney fees are also distinct from any case-related expenses that may be addressed in the representation agreement.
The fee terms should be explained in writing before you hire a disability attorney.
Contact Our Quincy Disability Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If a disability has interrupted your income or the Social Security Administration has denied your claim, Marasco & Nesselbush can review the decision and discuss the legal options available to you.
Our disability practice combines representation in Social Security proceedings, documented federal appellate advocacy, and a local Quincy office serving residents throughout Norfolk County and the South Shore.
Contact Marasco & Nesselbush for a free consultation about your SSDI or SSI case, or use the chat feature on this page to request assistance.
Injured and not sure what your case is worth? Find out for free.
