Know the 4 Level of Appeals in Social Security Disability Income

Filing for a social security disability income can be a slow, difficult, and often delayed process. An increase in number of applicants, added with draining government resources, has made the social security administration implement tighter standards in accepting more social security disability income applications.

In fact, an estimated 65% of applicants are being denied during the first time of application. Most often, denial happens simply because the applicant failed to provide sufficient evidence of disability.

Having social security disability lawyers is one of the major ways to increase the chances of a successful claim.

If the SSDI application has been denied, don’t give up since it usually happens during the first time of application. The administration is offering four levels of appeal to fight for an initial denial of SSDI benefits.

Don’t mind about the stress that you will be going through, but instead think of the benefits that you can achieved upon winning the claim. The good news: About 60% of initial denied claims are overturned at one of the 4 levels of appeal.

The first step in filing for SSDI appeal is the reconsideration process. Take this opportunity as an advantage to submit all the missing requirements from the previously denied application.

If you are not in favor of the reviewer’s decision, in the reconsideration phrase, you may request to have your case be heard before an administrative law judge. Take this opportunity to bring your representative to help you answer all the judge’s questions. In this level, you can also bring witnesses, such as medical experts and friends, to testify in your behalf.

Once either of your location or disability prevents you from personally attending the hearing, the agency will usually try to find a way to accommodate your problem.

If you still aren’t in favor of the outcome of the case from the administrative law judge, you may request for a review from the Social Security Appeals Council. The council will take a look at all your previous requests, but will generally not accept formal review cases that were decided correctly in its belief.

If you further disagree with the Appeals Council Decision or if the council preferred not to review the case at all, then that’s when you can finally take your appeal to the federal district court.

Knowing the exact time for filing an appeal is very important. Usually, it only takes 60 days upon receipt of the denial to file for a claim. For denied social security disability income, you can consult some experienced social security disability lawyers to know the best course of action to take.

Common Mistakes to Avoid after a Social Security Disability Income Denial – Part II

After the initial list of the most common mistakes that a recipient must avoid after filing for a social security disability claim, below are the additional points to avoid after being denied with your initial application.

• Not providing updated info with the Social Security Agency. Take note that the agency is responsible for making disability determinations. In return, a recipient must also be responsible in providing health details to the state Disability Determination Services (DDS). Don’t hesitate to provide the true and correct details since they are asked only for the purpose of updating the records that the agency already has.

• Not keeping copies of previous transactions. Proofs of your prior transaction records such as applications, forms, and other records should be kept in a safe place to avoid extra cost, time, and efforts if ever a disability examiner requests for those records again.

• Recipients often underestimate the extent of their disability. A lot of recipients tend to declare at the appeal level that their condition hasn’t changed because they are afraid of modification. They should at least inform the agency whether they are experiencing more pain or were hospitalized again.

• A lot of recipients overlook the essence of representation service during the process. In truth and in fact, those claimants who reached the hearing level cases have their own representatives. A social security disability lawyer can provide such services right from the filing for social security disability through appeals.

Now, the best way to avoid such mistakes, as well as to have a great deal in getting your social security disability income claim, is to take the risk of paying for a representative right at moment of filing for social security disability. This is until the final resolution of the appeal since you do not have to pay for the representative, unless he or she won the case in favor of the client.

Common Mistakes to Avoid after a Social Security Disability Income Denial – Part I

Usually, applications for the Social Security Disability Income are denied during the first time of filing.

Social Security Disability Income application can be denied for several reasons. It can be a hard disappointment, but it is important to take note that one should never give up if denied for the first and instead, file and pursue an appeal.

Here are some of the most common mistakes that applicants should avoid after their SSDI application was denied:

• Giving up. Always remember that you should never give up in filing for a SSDI. An applicant may consider denial as a natural occurrence in filing for the SSDI application; but, keep in mind that SSDI is a program that requires every applicant to meet certain guidelines and undergo a process.

• Missing the appeal deadline. An applicant who has been denied for the application often misses the deadline for filing an appeal. Though the appeal process is lengthy, it would provide more opportunity to provide additional points to your claim.

• Preferring not to appeal. Choosing not to file for an appeal simply means that you are giving up at an early stage of a fight. It is well within your rights to file for an appeal once the application for SSDI has been denied; hence, you should seize the opportunity to pursue your application.

• Not providing enough details. Most of the time, applicants fail to provide enough information about their mental or health status and its effect on their job performance.

• Wasting time on the previous decision. Instead of wasting your time arguing the previous decision or trying to correct a previous mistake, it’s better to file for an appeal and just use it as an opportunity to add details and better explain a claim.

These are just some of the most common mistakes that applicants often do during denials of their SSDI claims. Further details about the most common mistakes done by most applicants can be seen on this blog’s next post a week after this.

The Social Security Disability Income program is a very helpful program for disabled people who need financial assistance. In the said program, a petitioner can be a retiree, a disabled individual, or a representative. In case of death, the surviving family may file the application to avail of the benefits due the deceased member.