Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits are administered by the Social Security Administration and are intended to provide financial assistance to individuals who are unemployable for reasons of a medical condition. The types of medical conditions that the SSA provides SSD benefits for range from the physical to mental, but eligibility for benefits can also be determined based on a person’s age, since the SSA knows that the elderly have a substantially more difficult time finding employment than their younger counterparts.
Generally, the more physically demanding a person’s job, the less time that he or she is generally expected to wait before qualifying for benefits based on age. For those seeking benefits based on a medical condition, the applicant for benefits is generally required to show that an injury or condition will prevent the person from working for a period of at least a year.
Initial Denial
Finding out that an initial application for SSD benefits coverage has been denied can make a person’s heart sink, but they need to understand that the SSA is notorious for denying even valid claims due to the agency’s strict proof requirements. If a person has been denied for benefits a first time, even though they have a valid claim, then the denial may have been due to the fact that their application for benefits failed to prove that a condition exists and/or failed to prove that the condition would prevent the afflicted person from being able to work for at least a year.
Worth a Second Opinion
Considering how many valid claims for benefits the SSA denies every year, it is fair to say that anyone who is denied for coverage should have their cases reviewed by an experienced SSD benefits attorney. If the initial claim was completed with the help of an attorney, then a new attorney should be consulted for a second opinion on whether or not an appeal to the denial should be pursued.
If they submitted an application for benefits without the help of any legal counsel, then applicants already denied once for SSD coverage are encouraged to speak with an SSD benefits attorney before giving up hope forever of receiving the benefits which they are entitled to.
What a Denial Often Means
The reason why they should not give up hope after an initial denial for SSD benefits is because a large number of applications for benefits are not denied because the applicants don’t meet qualification requirements, they are denied because the applicants were unable to completely or accurately fill out the application for benefits required by the SSA.
Applicants need to understand that SSA claim reviewers do not have first hand knowledge of a person’s condition, and can only approve applications for benefits based on the information which the applicant provides with the application. Failure to provide all of the necessary information gives SSA claim reviewers no other option but to deny benefits.
This is why, for best results, individuals who may be eligible for SSA benefits should work with an experienced SSD benefits attorney as early as possible. Having an attorney fill out and compile the application on the applicant’s behalf can ensure that an applicant’s request for coverage is as complete and accurate as possible.