According to the Social Security Administration, the sad reality is that one in four adult 20-year-old workers have the chance of becoming disabled before they reach retirement age. This means even though we don’t like to think about disability and how it may affect us, it is important to know what options there are for taking care of one’s own financial future and that of lived ones.
Social Security benefits are paid through two programs, Social Security Disability program and Social Security Income program. As we are focusing on SSD benefits, it is important to know what the requirements are. These benefits are for those whose inability to work stems from a medical condition that is going to last at least one year or even result in death. The definition of disability for this purpose falls under federal regulations and they are very strict.
This is why perhaps most disability claims are denied in the first instance-according to some estimates approximately 65 percent of all claims are denied initially. However, this doesn’t mean that the person is not disabled and they shouldn’t consider it as such-the denial notice can be appealed. An explanation for the denial is contained within the denial notice. If the rationale is not included, it is possible to request one from the Social Security Administration. Usually when one is denied, it is because there is not enough medical evidence to prove the case. That can be rectified through an appeal.
Getting oneself organized and collecting evidence for an initial disability claim can be daunting enough-to then find out one’s denied social security claim can be overwhelming. However, it shouldn’t prohibit people from filing an appeal and tell one’s side in a hearing. An experienced attorney can ensure the documentation is complete and proper.