Over 1,675,000 initial claims for Social Security disability benefits are denied each year!

What should you do? Appeal the denial immediately by filing a Request For Reconsideration! What’s going to happen next? You’re going to get denied again! And what are you going to do after the second denial?  Appeal again and asked for a hearing!

If you don’t appeal, the initial denial or the denial at the Request for Reconsideration stage you lose!

Why appeal when you keep on getting denied? Because eventually you will get your case in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at a local disability hearing office where you get to present your case to a real live judge.

If you don’t stay in the race, you don’t even have a chance to win. This is a marathon and victory usually comes to those who outlast the appeals process.

Individuals who are represented at a hearing have a better chance of being awarded benefits. There’s a significant difference in the number of applicants who are awarded benefits after hearing who are represented then those applicants who choose not to have representation.

Never, never give up! If you want to obtain the Social Security disability benefits you’re entitled to and you are denied, appeal and hire a Social Security Disability attorney like Nancy cavey or Sharon Barret.

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Go check out www.SocialSecurity.gov!!

It is a tool to you can use to see if you qualify for Social Security disability benefits. You can apply for Social Security retirement, spousal, or disability benefits over the Internet. If you are applying for disability benefits, you will need to complete the disability report which is available online. In earlier posts we’ve given you an outline of the information you’ll need to have a complete the disability report.

You can also use the benefit planner to calculate the amount of your retirement or disability benefit.

You can also type in your zip code and find the Social Security office closest to you if you want to visit the office in person. However, we strongly suggest you call the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 or 727-894 -3188 and schedule an appointment with a representative. Dropping in normally means a long wait before you get to see a representative, so call ahead and get an appointment. You can also contact us here.

The website is user-friendly and you should not be intimidated by it. The Social Security Administration  (SSA) receives almost 4 million calls and with staff reductions, using the Internet will help speed up your initial application for Social Security Disability Benefits.

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Over 2.5 million American apply for Social Security Disability benefits every year. Only one third are approved at the initial application stage which takes on average of three months.

That means 1,675,000 Americans who are denied Social Security disability benefits must begin the lengthy and time-consuming appeal process.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) have begun several new programs to try to reduce the average processing time.

The first is in the Quick Disability Determination (QDD) which is a computer model that allows the Social Security Administration to screen cases with a high potential for approval.

The second is Compassionate Allowances which are a way of identifying medical conditions that qualify under Hurdle 3, the Listing of Impairments. If you can establish that your disabling condition meets a listing, the Social Security Administration will grant your benefits at Hurdle 3. You can learn more about compassionate allowances and whether you’re disabling condition meets a listing at www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionate allowances.

The last is the new National Hearing Center (NHC) which allows the agency to use video teleconferencing for hearings in those areas that have the longest back log. The Social Security Administration also hired 175 new Administrative Law Judges.

We hope the additional staff and fast tracking will reduce the waiting time and improve the disability process. For more help you can contact us here.

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Many Social Security Disability applicants wrongfully assume their disability claim will be approved in a matter of weeks and don’t plan for the financial realities they may face during the long wait for a Social Security decision.

Applicants can go broke while waiting for a Social Security Decision and many will rely on credit cards to meet expenses. Be careful about your use of the credit card or even using the equity in your home for your living expenses. It will take on average two to three years to get a decision from the Social Security Administration (SSA). You can jeopardize your credit if you can’t make payments on your credit card or face the loss of your home if you don’t make your mortgage payments.

As a practical matter, any applicant for Social Security Disability benefits needs to immediately assume their disability claim will be denied and they will be waiting at least two to three years for a decision. You need to plan accordingly.

You might want to re-structure your debt, create a budget for the next two years, determine how you continue to get medical care while you’re case is pending, and rethink any major purchases.

Unfortunately, you will be faced with many difficult financial decisions during the Social Security Disability claims process. Plan for the worst financial circumstances you can imagine in advance so that you can avoid foreclosure on your home or the prospect of filing for bankruptcy. For help contact us here.

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One of the proposals to reduce the Social Security Disability Benefit backlog was the formation of a National Hearing Center (NHC) to hear cases by videoconferencing from the Offices with the longest waiting times. That is now a reality and the national hearing office was opened in Falls Church, Virginia in December 2007.

7 Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) were assigned to hear cases from the Atlanta, Cleveland, and Detroit areas by video. You appear in an office with a video camera and watch the ALJ on the screen as you answer the ALJ’s questions.

While we applaud this effort and  admit that video teleconferencing is a great tool, our experience has not been favorable. In those cases where the honesty or credibility of the applicant is in dispute, video teleconferencing just does not cut it. In those cases, a good old fashioned hearing in front of the ALJ is crucial. A face to face conversation with the ALJ can make the difference between winning or losing your Social Security Disability Claim. If you have any questions contact us here.

If you would like more information about your rights regarding Social Security Disability Benefits, you can order our FREE book,"Your Rights to Social Security Disability Benefits" by submitting the form in the sidebar. We will send it out immediately along with other important information.

For more information about Social Security Disability Benefits, visit our law firm web site at CaveyLaw.com. If you would like to speak with one of our Social Security Disability Benefits attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (727) 897-9117 or simply submit our contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

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