Denied Disability Claim? Don't Give Up.

The Social Security Disability process is a long and complicated journey. If you are injured, sick, or otherwise disabled to the extent where you will be unable to work for 12 months or more, then you may just assume that your claim will be approved. After all, it is obvious to you that your condition will not let you work, and you think it should be obvious to the Social Security Administration. However, fully two-thirds of the 300,000 people who apply for SSD benefits each year have their claims rejected at the initial application. Reasons for rejection could include mistakes you have made in your application, or they could include mistakes the SSA made in evaluating your claim.

Either way, the most important thing to remember following a rejection of your application, or even a subsequent denial of your benefits, is not to give up. The disability appeals process is in place to provide each applicant a remedy for unjust denials. While up to 75 percent of claimants have their applications denied, during each subsequent step of appeals, the possibility of receiving benefits approval increases.

What should you do if your application for Social Security Disability benefits is denied? Your first step, if you have not already done so, is to hire a disability lawyer who can help you avoid subsequent mistakes, who has the experience and resources to find and provide necessary documentation, and who can offer legal representation before the Administrative Law Judge at your disability hearing and any appeals. A lawyer can offer counsel and representation at any point in the process, and while it is helpful to hire an attorney before you even begin your claim, it is not too late to get help from an experienced legal professional.

Act quickly to file an appeal of your denied benefits. You have only 60 days to do so. If you do not act within the deadline, then you will have to start the entire process from the beginning, which will only further delay your receipt of needed disability payments.

After you receive your notice of denied benefits, your attorney can carefully evaluate the reasons your claim was rejected and can work to address those issues. Perhaps you understated or overstated your disability--both can result in denial. Maybe your work history is incomplete, or maybe the SSA fails to address all aspects of your disability and their cumulative effect. Perhaps the SSA says that you can do other work, when in fact, you are unable to work at all.

Regardless of the reasons for your denial, there are ways to remedy mistakes and to successfully appeal the SSA decision. However, this is virtually impossible without the assistance of a skilled disability lawyer. Click here to learn more or call 405-206-3335 to speak with Oklahoma City Criminal Defense Attorney Patrick Quillian  about your claim.