The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes guidelines that explain the Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) claim filing process. In short, you must have a disability that fits SSA’s criteria and have enough work history, i.e., you must have worked for at least five of the last ten years to qualify. While it may seem straightforward, many get bogged down in bureaucratic details. As a result, their applications might omit critical information, which can lead to an early rejection of the application.
For over 30 years, the national Social Security disability claim attorneys at Marc Whitehead & Associates, Attorneys at Law, LLP, have helped SSDI applicants manage that process and improve their chances of receiving benefits. Call us for a free and confidential legal consultation No money up-front. We don’t get paid unless you do.
Here is a summary highlighting the critical aspects of how SSDI claims are filed.
Filing an Application for SSDI Benefits
You will be eligible for SSDI benefits if you are blind or have a disability that meets their criteria, preventing you from earning a regular salary or wages with at least five years of work history. If you meet these threshold requirements, you can submit your claim online or call SSA to schedule an appointment to apply for benefits.
Submitting your claim and application is only the beginning of a lengthy process. You will likely not receive any benefits for at least the first six months after you file your claim, although you might recover some of those payments if and when your claim is approved.
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Submitting Evidence to Verify a Claim for SSDI Benefits
The forms that are part of your initial application will ask you to provide your age, employment, and marital status, a description of your disability, the medical treatments and therapies you have received for your disability, and other pertinent information.
An SSA field officer will verify your eligibility to file a claim. They will then forward it to the SSA’s Disability Determination Services, which will gather medical evidence about your disability. That medical evidence can include reports from your treating physicians, care providers, or SSA may require a consultive examination (CE) if the evidence provided by your medical sources is inadequate.
SSA will approve or reject your application at the end of this process. If approved, you will receive a notice of the benefits you will receive. If rejected, you will have a short window to file a request for reconsideration or an appeal.
Appealing the Denial of a Claim for SSDI Benefits
If your SSDI claim has been denied, you can file either an appeal or a request for reconsideration, depending on whether the denial was for medical reasons or a non-medical decision. You will have only 60 days from the date of the denial notice to file your appeal. Given this short deadline, it’s wise to contact SSDI appeal attorneys for assistance with your appeal or request for reconsideration.
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Call Marc Whitehead & Associates, Attorneys at Law, LLP for a Free Consultation
We help disabled applicants throughout the United States to file SSDI claims and to appeal claims denials. We help our clients gather, organize, and submit all the required information, documents, and materials that a disability insurance company requires to review a claim. We also manage communications with insurance companies and monitor insurance company practices that can delay the processing of a claim or cause a denial.
Schedule a no-fee consultation about the information you need to provide to support your claim and the steps you will need to take. Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront or out-of-pocket fees. We only get paid if you do.
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