An illness or an injury is severe enough for you to miss a significant amount of time from work. How do you make ends meet when you do not have a steady income coming in weekly? The answer is filing a Social Security disability claim in Idaho.
Like the other 49 states, Idaho offers residents the opportunity to file a disability claim. Unfortunately, a majority of claims come back as denied disability in Idaho. If you receive a denial letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA), you have the right to file an Idaho disability benefits appeal.
Filing for Social Security Disability Benefits in Idaho
As a federally run program, the SSA makes Social Security disability benefits available to workers in each of the 50 states. If you suffer from a disability, you should contact the nearest field office to start processing your claim. Since Idaho does not have a field office located in the state, you should file your claim with the field office located in Seattle, Washington.
The Seattle Field Office operates from 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM Monday through Friday. However, the SSA encourages applicants to schedule an appointment online to ensure a prompt response. If you have any questions about Idaho disability benefits, you can call the Seattle Field Office at 206-220-6884.
Idaho Disability Statistics
Every year, millions of Americans file claims for Social Security disability benefits. In Idaho, a little more than four percent of the population receives a monthly disability benefits check. Forty percent of claims submitted in Idaho receive initial approval, while 14 percent of disability benefits claims receive reconsideration approval by the SSA.
Both numbers are higher than the national average. The average wait time in Idaho for an appeal hearing is 13 months, which is lower than the national waiting time of 18 months.
Reversing a Social Security Disability Denied Claim
Filing a disability claim that gets approved requires the submission of compelling medical evidence. However, a majority of Social Security disability claims get denied the first time around because the claims lacked sufficient medical evidence such as the notes made by physicians. For an appeal, you have to submit additional convincing medical evidence, such as documents that prove your disability diagnosis and a copy of the receipts collected and organized to pay off medical bills.
To file an appeal for disability benefits in Idaho, you have to send your request in writing within 60 days of receiving the denial letter from the SSA. Another reason why some disability claims come back denied by the SSA is applicants failed to meet the 60-day deadline.
The SSA refers to a medical guide called the Blue Book to determine eligibility for Idaho Social Security disability benefits. If you did not meet the medical standards established by the Blue Book for your medical condition with the initial claim, you must find a way to exceed the medical standards when you file an appeal. Disability Determination Services must be able to see how your medical condition has prevented you from working.
If the SSA denied your reconsideration appeal, the next step in the process involves requesting a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). All hearings in front of an ALJ take place at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). Because there is not an ODAR in Idaho, you attend an ALJ hearing at one of two ODARs located in Washington.
Getting Help Filing a Disability Claim in Idaho
A lawyer can help you gather and organize the medical evidence that you need to overturn the denied claim or to start your initial claim. Your attorney may ensure you file your appeal before the deadline, as missing the deadline will lead to a county clerk to dismiss your claim.
The numbers are not on your side when you file a disability claim in Idaho. Nonetheless, working with a Social Security lawyer during the appeal process may give you a better chance of getting approved for financial assistance. An attorney makes your case for you in front of an ALJ.
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