You should gather your medical records before filling out the initial application. Remember to be honest and detailed in your answers.
SSDI is a payroll tax-funded federal insurance program that provides people diagnosed with disabilities with income and medical coverage to varying degrees. The primary qualification for SSDI is that you have a disability that meets the Social Security Administration’s standards.
People can also qualify based on age, chronic illness, and short-term injuries. With the ability to be eligible for SSDI comes a variety of benefits.
What to Expect During the Appointment
The Social Security Administration (SSA) takes a multi-step approach to determining whether or not you qualify for SSDI. First, they will investigate your medical history and complete a physical examination. They also ask detailed questions about your daily activities.
After the SSA examines your physical and mental condition, they will contact you within 60 days with their findings. The SSA will also contact you once more just before issuing a final decision on your SSDI claims.
What You Can Do to Speed up the Process
The application process for Social Security Disability insurance can often be slow and tedious. The SSA is underfunded, especially since the recession began, and it can take several months to hear back on a claim. However, there are steps you can take to speed up the process.
For instance, you should gather your medical records before filling out the initial application. Remember to be honest and detailed in your answers. If you’re not in pain or don’t have any disabilities right now, tell them that. There is no need to fabricate an entire disability history for you to cash in on SSDI.
Where to Send the Application
You apply for disability benefits at regional Social Security offices, not on the Web. Your physician can help you complete the application and get it sent in, but you will most likely have to make a few trips back and forth with your paperwork.
Your SSDI claim may be approved, denied, or have conditions attached. Once the SSA has issued an award, they will notify you and send you the details.
How to Clear up Possible Errors in the Application
If you’ve filled out your application correctly and thoughtfully but are still receiving false negatives from the SSA, you should have a doctor look over your file. A Social Security Disability lawyer can also advise you on fixing any errors. The SSA always makes mistakes, so it’s important to have a lawyer fight your claim to receive the total benefits available.
What to Do When You Appeal a Denial
If your SSDI claim was denied, you have 30 days to appeal the decision. If you do not, then your benefits will stop. If the initial claim was rejected, you have 60 days to appeal that denial.
Hire a Social Security Disability attorney to represent your interests during the appeals process. The SSA can also provide a step-by-step guide to appeal initial claims and denials within 30 and 60 days, respectively.
How Social Security Decides if You Are Disabled
The SSA uses several Processes to determine whether you are disabled or not. They look at your ability to function, whether or not you have a severe impairment, and other factors by the SSDI regulations.
They also look at how much you receive from your earnings and how much assistance you receive from Medicaid, other social assistance programs, and Medicare. In their final decision on your claim, they use the combined information provided by all of these parts to decide if you are disabled enough to qualify for SSDI benefits.
Contact an SSDI Attorney
SSDI is an excellent program that helps millions of Americans who are disabled or have chronic health problems pay the bills and receive excellent medical care. If you feel you may qualify for SSDI, then fill out the application today.
Remember that you have the right to apply and appeal any decisions against you. And if your claim was denied because of an error in your medical records, then be sure to have them corrected with the help of a qualified lawyer.
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