Sutton and Crockett Counties

Disability Lawyer in Sonora, TX

Sonora and Ozona residents filing for disability can call Ty Groat, a Texas attorney since 2009 whose office is about 65 miles north in San Angelo, for help with SSDI, SSI and appeals.

Call (325) 659-2305

The I-10 Corridor

Disability Lawyer for Sonora, TX and Ozona Claims Along I-10

Sonora is the county seat of Sutton County. Ozona is the county seat and only town in Crockett County. Both sit on I-10, and both grew up on cattle, sheep, goats, wool and mohair. A disability lawyer for Sonora, TX claimants sees that history often: long years of hard physical work, many of them self-employed.

Care out here is spread out. One person's records may sit with a local clinic, a hospital in a larger city and a pharmacy in between. Each one should be named on the claim, since Social Security asks only the sources you list.

Ty Groat goes over that list with you before a claim is filed or appealed. A missing provider can make a file look far thinner than your real health.

San Angelo Office 1002 S Koenigheim St Ste B
San Angelo, TX 76903

Oil Field and Ranch Work as Evidence in an SSDI Claim

Oil and gas work around Sonora peaked in the 1970s. Wells inside Ozona's town limits kept pumping into the late 1980s. Many people here have done both kinds of work, on a ranch one decade and in the oil field the next. Social Security looks at the jobs you held in recent years and asks if your limits now rule them out.

A diagnosis alone does not answer that. The claim needs proof of how long you can stand or sit, how much you can lift, and whether you can climb, kneel, drive or work near machines. For SSDI help in Crockett County or Sutton County, the best files tie those limits to real job duties.

Ty Groat asks your doctors for written opinions on those limits. He also prepares for what a job witness may say at a hearing. His work as an SSDI lawyer covers Medicare after approval and the rules for working while on benefits.

SSI and Medicaid

Social Security Lawyer for Sutton County SSI Claims

Not everyone in Sutton County has enough work credits for SSDI. A ranch hand paid in cash, a parent who stayed home, or someone sick from a young age may qualify for SSI instead. SSI is based on need, with limits on income and what you own. In Texas, an SSI approval usually brings Medicaid with it.

A Social Security lawyer in Sutton County hears the same few questions. Does family land count against you, and how is help with rent from relatives treated? Does mineral income cut the payment? Each answer turns on the details, and a wrong answer on the form can hold up a claim for months.

Ty Groat handles SSI claims for adults and children and explains how the income rules apply to your household. Once benefits start, he keeps the reporting duties clear.

Appealing a Denied Claim From Sonora or Ozona

A denial is not the end of the claim. You have 60 days from getting the notice to ask for a second look, and Social Security assumes the letter reached you five days after its date. If that review also says no, you can ask for a hearing before a judge. A disability lawyer for Sonora, TX claimants can file each request on time.

For anyone looking for a disability attorney in Ozona, TX, the hearing carries special weight. It is often the first time the person deciding hears from you directly. Hearings can be held in person, by phone or by online video, and your notice explains the choices.

Call Ty Groat at (325) 659-2305

Ty Groat handles disability appeals through each level, from the second look to the hearing and the Appeals Council. He updates the records before each step and prepares you for the judge's questions about daily life in Sonora or Ozona.

Date on the letterplus 5 days for mail 60 daysgenerally, to ask for the next level of review

Why Sonora Families Call the Law Office of Ty Groat

Ty Groat studied and practices in the same part of Texas his clients call home. He earned a bachelor's degree in Government and Mathematics from Angelo State University in San Angelo, then his law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law. He has been licensed in Texas since December 2009 and opened his own firm in January 2018.

The Law Office of Ty Groat is locally owned and operated. Clients get quick, open help: straight answers about where a claim stands, a plain reading of every notice, and a friendly staff that keeps records and deadlines in order. The firm does not promise results, since no one can promise how Social Security will rule.

The firm also helps with children's benefits, Medicare and Medicaid tied to SSDI and SSI, and Social Security retirement. That last one matters for ranchers in Sutton and Crockett counties who are weighing retirement against a disability claim. A disability lawyer in Sonora, TX who handles both can compare the two paths with you.

2009 Licensed in Texas
2018 Firm opened
ASU Angelo State University
J.D. St. Mary's University School of Law

Sonora and Ozona Disability Questions

Do oil and gas royalties affect SSI for someone in Ozona?

Yes, royalty payments generally count as unearned income for SSI, and they can reduce or end the monthly payment. They do not affect SSDI eligibility, because SSDI is based on work credits rather than financial need. If you receive royalties from a lease in Crockett County, report them accurately and talk with Ty Groat about which program fits your situation.

I raised sheep and goats near Sonora for decades. Do I have enough credits for SSDI?

You may, if you reported your ranch income and paid self-employment tax on it. Credits come from reported net earnings, so years with losses or very low profits may not count. Your Social Security earnings statement lists every year that did. Ty Groat compares that record with your ranching history to see whether SSDI, SSI or both are worth pursuing.

Can I have my disability hearing without making the drive from Sonora?

Often, yes. Social Security offers hearings by telephone and by online video as well as in person, and you can tell the hearing office which format you want within the time your notice allows. Ty Groat explains the options, helps you choose, and prepares you for the hearing in whichever format is set for your case.