Skip to main content

GET YOUR APPLICATION RIGHT - GET PAID SSDI B ENEFITS

 Get your Social Security application right - get paid.  

There are hundreds of ways to mess up a Social Security disability application.  One of the most common ways that I see?  Blank lines.  Questions left blank.  One way or another, these questions will get answered before a decision is made on your claim.  They may get answered 6 months later when the Social Security office calls you--but you have just wasted 6 months.  

Worse yet, Social Security may assume that since you didn't answer the questions, all the answers are "no," so nobody bothers to call you. This will lead to a negative action on your claim.  

The complete disability application will consist, not just of the basic application, but several forms.  Many of those forms will be mailed to you AFTER you file the claim.  The following is always required for a complete application:

  1. The basic disability application (5 pages)
  2.  Disability Report (14 pages)
  3. Work History Report (10 pages)

In addition, Social Security may mail you all kinds of questionnaires as they begin investigating your claim.   These may include:

  • Drug and alcohol questionnaire
  • Headache questionnaire
  • Pain questionnaire
  • Mental Health questionnaire
  • Fatigue questionnaire 
  • Or any number of other inquiries

Filling out your application forms fully and accurately may also prevent having to attend a consultative examination by a Social Security doctor.   If your application and medical records don't explain all of Social Security's questions, they will set you up an appointment with one of their doctors for a special exam, which is nearly always useless to harmful to your claim.  And it kills more time.

Filing a complete and accurate application takes time and a lot of work.  It also takes some understanding of the disability process under the federal law.  Most claimants get an advocate or attorney to help with the application process. A professional who has handled hundreds (or thousands) of claims will have a much better grasp of what needs to be said in the application forms--and how to say it.

Of course, you can choose to "go it alone" and file your own application and paperwork.  But if you do so, please take a few days to answer every question in the many forms.  A rushed and partially complete application will only bring heartbreak, endless delay and likely denial.  A denial will probably require 18 to 24 months of additional waiting to navigate the long appeals process. 



 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUST YOU MEET A LISTING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY?

You hear talk of getting SSDI benefits by "meeting a Listing."  What are the Listings? The Blue Book listings are found in the regulations at 20 CFR 404, Subpart P, Appendix I. The Listings are divided into 12 body systems.  Each severe impairment is listed under its respective body system.  For example, Congestive Heart Failure is listed under Section 4.00 - Cardiovascular System. When you go there, there is a list of severe symptoms, and they are severe.   If you exactly meet or equal the list of very extreme symptoms you will be automatically approved for disability. Here's the problem:  Meeting one of the listings is about as likely as winning the Super Lotto.  It is very, very unlikely that you will do so. Thus, 99 percent of claimants do not and cannot get approved by meeting a listing.  The listings are only for catastrophic, extreme impairments that most claimants simply do not have--or do not have at the severity level demanded by the listings...
Post a Comment
Read more

A DISABILITY DENIAL IS NOT THE END OF YOUR CASE

By Charles W. Forsythe The Forsythe Firm Social Security denies a lot of applications.  It's expected.  But it's not the end. The good news is:  You can probably win your case on appeal and get paid benefits.  It just takes a bit longer. About 8 out of 10 new disability claims will be routinely denied.  So, it's rather unusual to be approved just by filing an application. An appeal sounds like a last resort or tricky legal maneuver.  It's really quite common--almost  normal--in a Social Security disability case. 8 out 10 claims will be appealed at least once, often twice, before they are paid. The process that pays Social Security disability is not the application, it's the appeal process. Many claimants who don't understand the importance of appeals give up after the first denial.  A serious mistake.  You odds get better in appeals. TIME LIMIT ON APPEALS .  All unfavorable Social Security decisions must be appealed within 60 days ....
Post a Comment
Read more

CAN A LAWYER / ADVOCATE HELP YOU IN DISABILITY HEARINGS?

 HOW A LAWYER INCREASES YOU ODDS     There are many things a trained disability advocate or lawyer can do for you in a disability claim.  The biggest reason to have a lawyer or advocate is that you are 3 times as likely to be approved when using one. As with all levels of applying for SSI and SSDI , it is not required that you have attorney representation. However, the hearing before an Administrative Law Judge is your BEST chance of being approved for Social Security benefits. During this stage your chances of being approved are highly improved by having an attorney that is skilled with disability law . Only an experienced lawyer or advocate will understand the difficult and confusing concepts discussed at the hearing.  If you don't have a lawyer you will probably understand very little of what goes on at your hearing. Before your hearing your attorney can prepare you for the questions you will be asked at the hearing. A vocational expert will be a...
Post a Comment
Read more