The Social Security Administration (SSA) eventually denies 53 percent of all claims for disability benefits on average every year. There are numerous reasons why a claim gets denied, but the most common ones are lack of medical information proving a disability (combined with failing to abide by a medical treatment plan developed by your doctor), refusing to cooperate with the SSA requirements, monthly income was too high, and disability wasn't permanent. Here is how these issues affect your claim and what you can do to make your case stronger to show you need disability benefits.
Lack of Medical Information
The SSA requires solid documentation that your injuries are real and are preventing you from being gainfully employed. They will not just accept your word that you have a physical or mental condition that keep you from earning a living. Claimants generally do two things wrong when it comes to supplying the proper medical documentation.
- They don't regularly visit their doctor to receive treatment for the injuries and/or mental issues that are claiming are keeping them from working.
- When they do visit the doctor, these claimants do not follow up on the prescribed treatment plan like attending physical rehabilitation appointments or attending mental health counseling sessions.
If you want to win a disability case based on medical evidence, you have to build a paper trail that the SSA administrators can use to document your condition and your efforts to get well. Without this information, you might as well save yourself the time and effort of going through a claims process and not submit a claim at all.
Failure to Cooperate with SSA
The SSA may require you to see one of their doctors in an attempt to document your condition when you have supplied insufficient documentation on your own. You have to go see that doctor if you want any hope of winning a SSA disability claim. Failure to show up is a common reason for a disability claim to be denied.
Monthly Income
If you are working and making over $1,000 per month, your claim is typically denied. SSA disability insurance is for those who can't work, and if you are making money every month, this is proof you can work. If you want to win, and you do have a documentation to prove the extent of your injuries, you should hold off on getting a job until you case has been decided.
Temporary Disability
SSA disability benefits are for those who have a long-term disability that is expected to last for at least a year. There is really nothing you can [do] if you break your ankle and are only expected to be out of work for a few months. The only option, if it is viable, is that the doctors believe the damage done to the ankle is so severe that you may never completely recover. If you job requires you to stand or walk a lot, you might be able to win your case (again, it comes down to the amount of documentation you have proving the extent of your injury).
The best thing you can do before you start a claim is to call an attorney that specializes in social security disability law. The attorney will guide you through the process and make sure you do everything right.
For professional help, contact a law firm such as Banik & Renner.
