If you’re applying for
disability benefits, chances are good that you need these payments to meet your
many financial obligations. Ideally, your application will be approved, and
you’ll start receiving benefits within one to two months, but that’s not always
the case. You might be wondering what to do if your SSDI claim is denied.
Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides much-needed financial relief for people
who meet certain qualification standards. Unfortunately, the application
process is more difficult than many applicants expect. It’s important to know
that a denial is not the end of the road. Not only are denials common, they can
also be considered an opportunity to improve upon the case you’re making for
SSDI benefits.
If your application was
denied, you have 60 days to request
an appeal from the Social Security Administration (SSA). However, before you
begin the process, you should keep a few things in mind. Let’s discuss what to
do if your SSDI claim is denied.
Don’t Panic
Most initial
applications for SSDI are denied. If you’re wondering what to do if your SSDI
claim is denied, then know that several other disability recipients have
experienced a denial, only to later be approved through appeal.
Contact an SSDI Attorney
It’s challenging to find
success in an SSDI appeal if you aren’t familiar with the process. SSDI
attorneys have years of experience handling these cases, so they’ll be able to
review your application and look for errors or ways to improve your chances of
approval.
Try to Determine Why Your Claim Was Denied
A denied application is
an opportunity to improve the case you’ve made for benefits. When figuring out
what to do if your SSDI claim is denied, you should look closely at your
application. Are there any errors in your application? Is there any additional
information you could include that would improve your chances for approval? For
help finding answers to these questions, contact an SSDI attorney.
Familiarizing Yourself with the SSDI Appeals Process
There are four levels to
an SSDI appeal…
- Reconsideration - When your claim is denied for medical reasons, you
can submit a request to have your application reviewed by someone who
wasn’t involved in the first determination. If it’s possible to include
any additional information, you should include it for reconsideration.
- Hearing by an administrative
law judge - You can request a review by
an administrative law judge. In most cases, the hearing will take place
within 75 miles of your home.
- Review by the Appeals Council - If an administrative law judge denies your
application, you can request a review by the Appeals Council.
- Federal Court review - If the Appeals Council denies your application, the
last level of appeal is a federal court review. In this level of appeal,
you can file a civil suit in a federal district court.
If your application is
denied, you will receive a notification from the SSA. This letter will tell you
which appeal level of appeal you should consider.
Don’t Give Up Hope – Contact the Driscoll Salazar Disability Group Today
You might be frustrated
by a denial, but you should always consider an appeal. Applying for SSDI can be
a challenge for anyone, and it helps speak to someone familiar with the
process. You have 60 days to begin an appeal, so don’t hesitate to contact the
Driscoll Salazar Disability Group by calling 949-359-1370.
We’ve helped many
clients with the appeals process, and we know what SSA is looking for when reviewing
applications. In many cases, we identify an error in applications that can be
fixed in appeal. We can also work with you to be sure that you are providing
SSA with all the information they’ll need to determine your eligibility.
Contact
the Driscoll Salazar Disability Group today to get started.
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