SSDI & SSI Benefits

SSDI & SSI Benefits Attorney in Memphis

Serving Memphis Disability Claimants Since 1980

Donati Law, PLLC has handled Social Security Disability claims in Memphis and throughout the Mid-South since 1980. Founders Wanda and Don Donati built this practice around disability representation, and today their son Robert Donati, daughter Ellen Donati Flechas, and daughter-in-law Alison Ryan carry that work forward. With more than 150 years of combined legal experience across the team, we represent first-time applicants and claimants who have already been denied.

Our role doesn’t stop at filing paperwork. We help clients access the medical care needed to build a strong evidentiary record, work directly with treating physicians to develop supporting opinion evidence, and advocate at every stage from initial application through an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing.

If you’re applying for SSDI or SSI benefits in Memphis, or if your claim has already been denied, call us at (901) 209-5500 to discuss your situation. There’s no fee unless we win your case.

SSDI vs. SSI: Which Program Applies to You?

Both programs pay benefits to individuals with qualifying disabilities, but they work differently and serve different populations. Understanding which applies to your situation is the first step toward a successful claim.

SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance)
SSDI is funded through FICA payroll taxes withheld from your wages. To qualify, you must have accumulated enough work credits, and the required number varies based on your age when the disability began. Your benefit amount is calculated from your lifetime earnings history. After a 24-month waiting period from the date of entitlement, SSDI recipients become eligible for Medicare.

SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
SSI is a needs-based program that doesn’t require a work history or FICA contributions. It’s available to individuals who haven’t earned enough work credits to qualify for SSDI, with eligibility determined by income and asset levels. SSI recipients in Tennessee may qualify for Medicaid coverage through TennCare. If you don’t qualify for SSDI, you may still have a viable SSI claim, and in some situations both programs apply.

We represent clients pursuing both SSDI and SSI benefits and can help you determine which path, or combination of paths, fits your circumstances.

What We Do for Our Clients

A disability claim lives or dies on its medical evidence. The Social Security Administration (SSA) and Tennessee’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) evaluate submitted records, and gaps in that record are the most common reason claims are denied. We work to close those gaps.

Medical access: We help clients connect with medical care so they can obtain the documented evidence a claim requires
Physician collaboration: We work with your treating doctors to develop opinion evidence supporting a disability finding
Evidence review: We examine everything the SSA has collected and determine how to present it effectively
Expert cross-examination: At hearings, we review Vocational Expert opinions and question any experts the SSA presents
ALJ briefs: We prepare legal briefs for the Administrative Law Judge advocating your position
Reconsideration appeals: When a claim is denied, we file the reconsideration letter along with the required physician statement confirming disability, inability to return to work, and that the condition is expected to last at least 12 months

No Upfront Fees. No Financial Risk.

We represent Social Security claimants on a contingency-fee basis. If your case isn’t successful, you owe nothing in attorney fees or expenses. If we win, our fee is 25% of your past-due (back pay) benefits, up to the maximum amount set by the SSA. The SSA typically pays that fee directly to our office.

If out-of-pocket expenses are incurred during the case, such as fees for obtaining medical records or doctor statements, you’re responsible for those costs when the case is won. We’ll be transparent about any such costs from the start. No one’s financial situation should stand between them and legal representation, and our fee structure reflects that commitment.

National Recognition. Personalized Service.

Donati Law, PLLC was recognized in the 2026 Edition of U.S. News and World Report Best Law Firms rankings, and our attorneys were recognized in the 32nd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, announced in August 2025. These recognitions reflect decades of consistent work in this practice area.

As a family-run firm, we treat each client as an individual, not a file number. The same families who founded this practice are still handling cases today. That continuity matters in a practice area where claimants often spend months or years navigating the process, and where having a consistent advocate in your corner makes a real difference.

Talk to a Disability Benefits Attorney in Memphis

Whether you’re filing for the first time or responding to a denial, we’re available to review your situation. Consultations are available at every stage of the process. Call Donati Law, PLLC at (901) 209-5500 or reach us through our online inquiry form.

There’s no fee unless your case is successful. Contact us today to get started.

SSDI Eligibility: What the SSA Requires

To qualify for SSDI, you must satisfy two separate requirements: a work history requirement and a medical requirement. Meeting one without the other isn’t enough.

The Work History Requirement

The SSA measures eligibility in work credits earned through FICA-taxed employment. The number of credits required depends on your age when your disability began. Younger workers need fewer credits. Older workers generally need more.

The Medical Requirement

The SSA defines disability as a condition that prevents any substantial gainful activity and is expected to last at least 12 consecutive months or result in death. Physical, mental, emotional, and neurological impairments can all qualify, provided they meet the SSA’s severity and duration standards.

How the SSA Evaluates Your Claim

The SSA evaluates claims through a five-step sequential evaluation, a structured analysis that considers:

Whether you are currently working at substantial gainful activity levels
Whether your impairment is severe
Whether your condition meets or equals a listing in the SSA’s Listing of Impairments (the Blue Book)
Whether you can still perform your past relevant work
Whether you can perform any other work given your age, education, and residual functional capacity

Conditions that appear in the Blue Book may qualify automatically if the documented criteria are met. Conditions not listed can still qualify through a medical-vocational analysis at steps four and five.

Why Disability Claims Get Denied in Tennessee

At the initial application and reconsideration stages, Tennessee’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) reviews submitted records and makes a disability determination without ever seeing the claimant in person. The decision is based entirely on what’s in the file.

Insufficient medical evidence is the single biggest reason claims are denied. Many claimants lose their health insurance at the same time they lose their jobs, which means treatment records go cold precisely when documentation matters most. A sparse medical file gives DDS reviewers and ALJs little to work with.

Denials generally fall into two categories:

Technical (Non-Medical) Denials
These occur when an application is incomplete, documentation is missing, or the claimant doesn’t have enough work credits. These issues are often identifiable and addressable early in the process.

Medical Denials
These occur when the SSA concludes the impairment isn’t expected to last 12 months, isn’t severe enough, or doesn’t prevent the claimant from performing past or other work.

One critical point: if the SSA schedules a consultative examination with one of its appointed doctors, attend and cooperate fully. Failing to appear can result in a denial. These examiners may observe claimant behavior before and after the formal evaluation, so consistency and honesty throughout the visit matter.

A DDS denial isn’t final. DDS reviewers and ALJs can and do reach different conclusions on the same evidence, and cases denied at the DDS level are sometimes approved at the hearing stage.

The SSDI & SSI Appeals Process

A denied claim isn’t the end of the road. The SSA’s appeals process has four stages, and each must be initiated within 60 days of receiving the prior decision.

Stage 1: Reconsideration
The first appeal is a request for reconsideration. This filing must include a letter from the claimant’s physician confirming the disability, confirming the claimant can’t return to work, and stating that the condition is expected to last at least 12 months.

Stage 2: ALJ Hearing
If reconsideration is denied, the claimant may request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. The ALJ may consider testimony from medical and vocational experts in addition to the written record. Wait times can be substantial, often running many months depending on the hearing office and case circumstances.

Stage 3: SSA Appeals Council
If the ALJ denies the claim, the claimant may request review by the SSA Appeals Council. The Appeals Council may affirm the decision, reverse it, or remand the case back to the ALJ for further proceedings.

Stage 4: Federal District Court
A denial at the Appeals Council level doesn’t end the process. The claimant may file a civil lawsuit in federal district court to challenge the SSA’s decision.

Every Client Is a Cause We Believe In

To discuss your case with an accomplished attorney who cares, give our firm a call at (901) 209-5500 or fill out the form below.

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Real Results For Real People

Our firm accepts every case with the motivation to do all we can to help that client receive the compensation they deserve. With a drive to win, a passion for justice, and the tenacity to fight, we have successfully secured millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients.

$1.8 Million Misclassified Employee
$1 Million Overtime Dispute
$400,000 Wages Dispute

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Built on Client Satisfaction

With a commitment to improving lives, we are truly invested in protecting the well-being of our clients. Every person we work with is going through a unique situation, and we offer personalized counsel to meet each client’s specific needs.

Professional, efficient, knowledgeable, and responsive.
“Ruchee Patel at Donati Law firm in Memphis is the best! She and her team are professional, efficient, knowledgeable, and responsive - highly recommended!”

- Amy M.

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A Tradition of Legal Excellence

Our team of professionals seek justice one client at a time, because every client is a cause we believe in. We keep things simple, by consistently showing our dedication not only to the law, but to our clients. Passionate about honoring the law and respecting every client, our firm strives to make the legal changes that are needed to improve the lives of people throughout our community.