Killeen Social Security Disability Lawyer for Soldiers, Spouses, Veterans, and Civilian Workers
Killeen claims come in a few familiar shapes. A soldier's knees, back, or mind gave out before the Army was finished. A spouse or civilian worker can't hold a job anymore. A retired veteran still hurts years after the last PT test. A Killeen Social Security Disability lawyer builds each of those claims a little differently. Michalk, Beatty & Alcozer, L.P. keeps its office on S.W.S. Young Drive, and Manuel Alcozer there holds board certification in Social Security Disability Advocacy. This page walks through how Army and VA paperwork fits into a claim and what to gather before you call. For the rules that apply across the region, see our Central Texas Social Security Disability practice.
Killeen sits at the gate of Fort Hood, so your neighbors, coworkers, and landlord may all be tied to the Army. Social Security doesn't care about rank, branch, or unit. It asks what you can do in a full workday, and whether your records prove it.
What a Killeen Social Security Disability Lawyer Does Before You Apply
The work starts before the application goes in. We list every clinic, hospital, and counselor you've seen, then check which records Social Security would never find on its own. A soldier's chart at Darnall, a counselor at a Vet Center, and an urgent care visit in Harker Heights all sit in different systems.
Next we look at your work history and your earnings. Social Security wants your last five years of jobs, and it checks whether you earned too much to count as disabled. We also look at which program fits you, because Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income follow different rules.
Then you apply, and we keep watch on the file. You stay focused on treatment. We handle the letters, the deadlines, and the follow-up.
The Nearest Social Security Office Is in Temple
File a claim at ssa.gov, or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Spanish speakers press 2 on that line.
Social Security's published field office listing shows an office in Temple at 511 North Main Street and none in Killeen. Many Killeen claimants never visit it, because the application, the medical forms, and the appeals all move by phone, mail, and online. If you do need an office visit, use the locator at ssa.gov/locator and enter your ZIP code first. Offices change hours, and a wasted drive costs you half a day.
Our office is in Killeen, so you can sit down with us here.
A Medical Separation From the Army Is Not a Social Security Award
Soldiers who can't meet Army standards go through the Integrated Disability Evaluation System. A Medical Evaluation Board reviews your conditions. A Physical Evaluation Board decides whether they make you unfit. The VA assigns a rating during that process, and the Army then returns you to duty, separates you with severance pay, or retires you.
None of that decides your Social Security claim. The Army asks whether you can still do your military job. Social Security asks whether you can do any substantial work, and whether your condition has lasted or will last at least a year. A soldier can be medically retired and still get denied. Another can be returned to duty and still qualify later.
Your board paperwork still helps. The medical narrative, the exam findings, and the PEB results are medical evidence, and we put them in your file. Fort Hood's Soldier Recovery Unit treats and supports ill and injured soldiers, so its notes belong in the record too.
You can apply while you're still on active duty. Social Security says soldiers who keep drawing pay in a hospital or on medical leave should consider applying if they can't work.
Wounded Warrior Review Moves Your File Up the Line
Social Security expedites claims for people who were ill, injured, or wounded on active duty on or after October 1, 2001. It doesn't matter how or where it happened. A back injury in a Fort Hood motor pool counts the same as one overseas.
Say so when you file, and bring your orders or service records. The review moves faster. The standard stays the same, so you still need medical proof that your condition keeps you from substantial work.
Still Drawing Army Pay While You Apply
Military pay doesn't automatically block a Social Security claim. A soldier in recovery may keep a paycheck while unable to do the job. The question Social Security asks is whether you're doing real work for real money.
In 2026 the line for substantial gainful activity is $1,690 a month, or $2,830 if you're blind. Earn more than that from work and Social Security can deny you. Tell us before you take on duty, a drill weekend, or a side job. One careless month of work can cost you a claim that took a year to build.
Why the Judge Won't Write About Your VA Rating
A VA rating is a separate decision made under separate rules. Social Security's regulation, 20 CFR 404.1504, says another agency's disability decision isn't binding on Social Security. In claims filed on or after March 27, 2017, the judge also won't analyze the VA decision in the written ruling.
So the rating letter alone won't carry you. What carries you is the evidence behind it: the compensation and pension exam, the treatment notes, and the specialist reports. We pull those and match them to Social Security's questions about sitting, standing, lifting, and missing work.
One VA rating does speed things up. Social Security gives priority processing to veterans rated 100 percent Permanent and Total, and it gets that rating status directly from the VA. If the VA turned down or underrated a condition, that's a separate fight. Attorney Manuel Alcozer and attorney Alex Bass are accredited to appear before the VA, and our VA appeals work centers on denied decisions. Ask us how an appeal and your Social Security claim can support each other.
Military Spouses in Killeen: Credits, Gaps, and SSI Math
Your spouse's rank and pay don't qualify you for disability insurance. Your own work record does. Social Security Disability Insurance generally needs 40 work credits, with 20 of them earned in the last ten years. In 2026 you earn one credit for each $1,890 of wages, up to four a year.
Moves every two or three years can leave holes in a spouse's work record. Six years home with young children can do the same. We pull your earnings record early, because a gap that looks small on paper can decide which program you can use.
SSI doesn't depend on work credits, but it counts money. A single adult can hold $2,000 in countable resources, and a couple $3,000. If your spouse lives with you, Social Security applies deeming rules to your spouse's income, so a soldier's pay can shrink or erase an SSI check. We run those numbers before you file.
Civilian Employees on Post and the Federal Disability Retirement Rule
Many Killeen workers hold Army civilian jobs. If you're covered by FERS and want federal disability retirement, the Office of Personnel Management's own form says the application requires you to apply for Social Security disability too. The two systems are linked.
OPM requires at least 18 months of creditable federal service. You must apply before you separate or within one year after. If you're under 62, the first year of your annuity is 60 percent of your high-3 salary minus all of your Social Security benefit. After that it's 40 percent of your high-3 minus 60 percent of your Social Security benefit.
OPM decides the retirement claim. We handle the Social Security side and keep the dates lined up. A strong Social Security award also changes the math on your annuity, so don't treat the Social Security claim as a formality.
Your Army Job Still Counts as Past Work
Social Security looks back five years at your jobs. It asks whether you can still do them, and then whether you can do any other work. Your Army job is part of that file if it falls inside the window.
A vocational expert has to match a soldier's work to a civilian job title, and that match can go wrong. A combat engineer, a mechanic, a truck driver, and a medic carry loads, kneel, climb, and stand for hours. We describe the physical demands in plain detail so the match reflects what you really did.
Age matters at step five. People 50 and older get more favorable treatment than younger claimants, and people 55 and older get the most. Many retired soldiers hit those ages while still looking for civilian work. We make sure the judge knows your age, your education, and your skills.
Why Choose Michalk, Beatty & Alcozer, L.P.? Our Commitment to You
-
Unyielding Commitment to JusticeWe strive to ensure that all persons have access to a legal process that is fair, open, transparent, and holds those who infringe on your rights accountable.
-
Relentless Pursuit of Fair CompensationWe advocate to secure the maximum compensation you deserve, recognizing the profound impact your lawsuit can have on your livelihood.
-
Empathetic Guidance Through AdversityWe stand by your side with unwavering support and understanding, providing guidance and reassurance during what may be one of the most challenging times in your life.
-
Resolute Advocacy for Your RightsWith determination and expertise, we navigate the complexities of the legal system on your behalf, steadfastly protecting your rights and interests at every turn.
Where Your Records Live: Darnall, the VA Clinic, and Seton
Killeen claimants often have records in four places. Darnall Army Medical Center keeps charts for soldiers and family members. The Killeen VA Clinic at 1001 East Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Suite 400, in Midtown Mall offers primary care and mental health counseling. Seton Harker Heights and its urgent care sites cover civilian visits. Private doctors fill in the rest.
For Darnall records, you submit a DD Form 2870 to the medical records window or by fax or email. Darnall says standard requests can take up to 30 working days. A parent can request records for a minor child, and surviving next of kin can request them for a deceased patient. Start early.
The deadline that matters is the hearing's. Under 20 CFR 404.935, you must submit written evidence no later than five business days before your hearing, or the judge can refuse to consider it. We chase records long before that.
We also ask your treating doctors for something more useful than a chart. We ask for a plain statement of how long you can sit, how much you can lift, and how often you'd miss work.
PTSD, Depression, and Gaps in Treatment
Mental health claims turn on records over time. A diagnosis isn't enough. Social Security wants to see symptoms, treatment, and how those symptoms limit a normal workday.
Gaps in care get read as improvement. If you stopped going because of a move, a deployment, or a long wait, tell us. The Killeen VA Clinic offers counseling for PTSD, depression, and anxiety, and most services there don't need a referral. The Killeen Heights Vet Center at 302 Millers Crossing in Harker Heights offers confidential counseling for veterans, service members, and their families.
Ask any counselor what they can put in writing. A short letter on your symptoms and attendance can fill a gap.
Hearing Day: Four Ways to Attend From Killeen
If Social Security denies you twice, you can ask for a hearing before an administrative law judge. The agency decides how you appear, and 20 CFR 404.936 lists the options: audio, agency video, online video, or in person. Online video needs your agreement.
You can object to how Social Security schedules you, and the rule gives you 30 days from the notice to do it. Read your hearing notice the day it arrives. If you'd rather attend by phone from your living room, or in person at an SSA site, tell us before you return any form.
At the hearing the judge asks about your condition, your day, and your past jobs. A vocational expert then testifies about which jobs someone with your limits could still do. We prepare you for the questions and cross-examine the expert about whether those jobs exist in the numbers claimed.
Spanish-Speaking Claimants
Hablamos español. Attorney Manuel Alcozer's profile lists English and Spanish, and our team can talk through your claim in the language you use at home.
Social Security says it provides an interpreter free of charge when you ask or when you clearly need one. Call 1-800-772-1213 and press 2 for Spanish. When you ask for a hearing, tell the hearing office in writing that you need an interpreter, and tell us so we can follow up.
Denied? Count 60 Days, Starting Five Days After the Letter's Date
Every step of the appeal has a 60-day window. Reconsideration must be requested within 60 days. A hearing request gets another 60. Appeals Council review of the judge's decision gets 60 more. Social Security treats you as receiving the letter five days after the date printed on it.
After the Appeals Council, you can sue in federal court. Bell County cases go to the Waco Division of the Western District of Texas. A missed deadline can force you to start over with a new application and lose back pay, so file in writing and keep a copy.
The 2026 Numbers
These figures come from Social Security's 2026 tables.
One work credit costs $1,890 in earnings. You can earn up to four a year.
Substantial gainful activity: $1,690 a month, or $2,830 for blind claimants.
SSI: up to $994 a month for an individual and $1,491 for a couple.
SSI resource limits are $2,000 for one person and $3,000 for a couple.
The fee cap for a representative is 25 percent of past-due benefits or $9,200, whichever is less.
You pay us nothing unless we win. The fee comes out of your back pay. SSDI starts after a five-month wait, and Medicare begins after you've received SSDI for 24 months.
What to Bring to Your First Call
You don't need a perfect file. Bring what you have:
Your VA rating letter, any VA appeal papers, and your MEB and PEB results if you went through them
Your DD-214, military orders, or service records
A list of every doctor, clinic, hospital, and counselor, with rough dates
Your medicine list and any denial letters from Social Security
A five-year job list with titles, duties, and how much you lifted
Your spouse's pay stubs, if you're considering SSI
A note about any work or military pay since you stopped
Meet Manuel Alcozer, a Killeen Social Security Disability Lawyer Who Worked as a Respiratory Therapist
The National Board of Social Security Disability Advocacy has certified Manuel Alcozer in that field. He holds a law degree from SMU's Dedman School of Law, earned in 1992, the year he was admitted to the Texas bar. Before law school he worked as a respiratory therapist at Metroplex Hospital and Scott & White Memorial Hospital from 1983 to 1989.
That clinical background shapes how he reads a chart. He spots the missing pulmonary test, the vague treatment note, and the missing functional statement. He belongs to the Bell County Bar Association and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives, and he speaks English and Spanish.
Read more on Manuel’s attorney profile.
Killeen Disability Questions, Answered
-
Where is the Social Security office for Killeen residents?Social Security's published office listing shows a field office in Temple at 511 North Main Street and none in Killeen. You can also apply online at ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213. Check the locator with your ZIP code before you drive anywhere.
-
Does a VA disability rating mean I'll get Social Security Disability?No. The VA and Social Security use different rules, and the VA's decision isn't binding on Social Security. A 100 percent Permanent and Total rating does earn priority processing. The exam findings behind your rating can still help your claim.
-
Can I file for disability while I'm still serving at Fort Hood?Yes. Social Security says military pay doesn't automatically block a claim. Your earnings from real work still have to stay under the substantial gainful activity limit, and your condition has to meet Social Security's test. If you were hurt on active duty after October 1, 2001, your claim gets expedited review.
-
I'm a military spouse in Killeen. Can I get disability benefits?Your own work history can qualify you. Disability insurance depends on your work credits, and SSI depends on your income and resources. Your spouse's pay can count against SSI, so we review your household before you file.
-
What's the deadline to appeal a denied disability claim?You have 60 days from the day you receive the notice, and Social Security assumes you received it five days after the date on the letter. The same window covers reconsideration, the hearing request, and Appeals Council review. Call 254-526-3024 as soon as the letter arrives.
-
Will my medical retirement from the Army count as proof I'm disabled?It helps, but it doesn't decide the case. The Army asks whether you can still do your military job. Social Security asks whether you can do any substantial work. Your board findings go into your file as medical evidence.
-
Can I get an interpreter, and do you speak Spanish?Yes to both. Attorney Manuel Alcozer speaks Spanish, and Social Security says it provides interpreters free on request. Call 1-800-772-1213 and press 2 to reach Social Security in Spanish.
-
How much does a disability lawyer cost in Killeen?A Killeen Social Security Disability lawyer on our team charges nothing up front. Social Security caps the fee at 25 percent of your past-due benefits or $9,200, whichever is less, and takes it from your back pay only if you win. Your first consultation costs nothing.
Get a Free Killeen Disability Consultation
Our office is at 3106 S W S Young Drive, Building D, Suite 401, Killeen, TX 76542. Call 254-526-3024 for a free consultation with a Killeen Social Security Disability lawyer, and tell us whether you're a soldier, a spouse, a veteran, or a civilian worker. We take claims from Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Fort Hood, and the rest of Bell County. Hablamos español. Want to begin online? Schedule a free consultation and we'll call you back. You can also learn about our Killeen attorneys.
Get Started on Your Defense Journey Contact Us Today
A member of our team will be in touch shortly to confirm your contact details or address questions you may have.
-
3106 S W S Young Drive
Building D Suite 401
Killeen, TX 76542 Map & Directions