Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income are Federal programs that can help those dealing with a loss of income because of a disability. The application process for these disability benefits involve submitting detailed records to establish your medical condition; and then proving that this condition is affecting your ability to perform your regular work schedule. While it sounds straightforward, the Social Security Disability benefits do not become effective unless the Disability Determination Services accepts the applicants argument.
There are a high percentage of applicants who find their applications denied. For someone struggling with a disability and dealing with the stress of no income, it can be disheartening to have their legitimate claims denied. It helps to deal with the application process if you can understand some of the key mistakes that usually results in an applicant being denied.
Attention to detail is important while dealing with any paper work, as there are many mistakes that can potentially happen. Here are the five categories in which many applicants tend to make mistakes, often leading to their Social Security Disability claims being denied.
Learn More: Appealing After A Denial
Inadequate Disability Information– The crux of the application and supporting reports is to establish your disability and your inability to perform work at full potential. To this end, it is important that you include all the details of your disability to help the claim adjudicator have a full understanding of your problem. It is important to offer a comprehensive picture of the physical injuries and related mental stress that may be interfering with your ability to work. Making assumptions that a Disability Determination Services representative will be able to figure out the extent of your difficulties is not advised. It is better to overload the application with detailed information rather than inadequate information.
Incomplete Medical Records– It is very important to substantiate your Social Security Disability application with thorough medical records. Detailed information about the doctors who have treated you; the hospitals and clinics where you have received treatment; the medical tests that you have undergone and the medicines that you have been prescribed are all critical to establishing your medical history. This is a sure way of tracking the progressive worsening of your disability and a way of establishing its current degree of severity. Make sure that you include legitimate contact information wherever possible to make it easy for the Social Security Disability adjudicators to verify all your information.
Incorrect Contact Information– You will include your address and phone number as part of your basic application . There will also be reason to offer the contact information of doctors, medical facilities and people who can act as referrals to indicate how your work is affected by your disability. If you move houses, change telephones or if any of the other contact information changes; it is your responsibility to update this information with the Social Security Administration. It will not be in your best interest if the official personnel are unable to reach any of the people listed in your application package. It will also be counter-productive to fill in doubtful contact information, because if there is reason for them to doubt any information on your application, they are likely to judge your whole application as being unreliable.
Improper Document Support– Tax documents and other forms establishing work history are critical to establish your claims for Social Security Disability. This insurance is directly connected to your history of having worked in jobs with Social Security coverage. Make sure to include all documents that can support your work history and establish your credentials for receiving Social Security Disability Insurance.
Infrequent Follow-ups– It is true that Social Security Disability application can be a long-winded process and it is important to be patient. However, this does not mean sending in the paper work and forgetting about the process. It is important to track your application and make sure that you have provided all the information needed. It is critical to show up at scheduled hearings, as well as to offer supplemental information should it be relevant. You must be pro-active in establishing your claim’s legitimacy and appropriateness.
If you can watch out for these five broad categories of mistakes, your chances of success with getting your claim improved will increase dramatically. It is worth considering hiring a Social Security Disability attorney or getting a professional representative who understands the process inside out. Somebody who understands the details of the Social Security Disability application process can help you avoid errors, making the process more stream-lined.
If the claim is denied, you still have the option of a three step appeals process. At each step of the way, make sure that you do not forget any of these essential details, reducing the chances of denial.
