If you’ve applied to get Social Security benefits for your disability, it may be a long road before you are accepted. On top of that, it may require additional work on your part before the Social Security Administration (SSA) accepts your application for Social Security Disability (SSD). If you have already submitted your application, you are already on the right path to getting your payments. If you have not submitted an application yet, talk with an attorney before you apply.
Fayetteville AR disability lawyer Ken Kieklak can help you with your initial application to SSD, work to get your application approved, and help you fight denials in Arkansas. For a free consultation on your disability case, contact Ken Kieklak, Attorney at Law, today.
How Long Does the SSDI Review Process Take?
Before the SSA will begin paying disability benefits, they need to ensure that you properly qualify as disabled. Social Security Disability Income can come from two sources: traditional Social Security, based on your work credits, or from need-based SSI (Supplemental Security Income). In either case, the SSA needs to determine that you are in fact “disabled” by their definition.
The SSA’s main focus when determining an applicant’s disability is whether or not they can perform work-related tasks. If you are not able to perform any work-related tasks, like lifting, driving, typing, or communicating, you should be considered “disabled.” Some of these tasks may be physically possible, but the SSA takes into account what is safe and comfortable for your medical condition when determining what you can and can’t do. If the condition is so severe that you cannot work, the SSA may accept your disability application.
After you submit your initial application, the SSA’s review process may require additional information about your condition. The initial application should include biographical information and a high-level assessment of your condition, but that may not be enough for the SSA. Ultimately, the SSA may request additional information about your medical condition.
SSD’s Required Medical Information
On top of providing information about who you are, where you live, your work history, and your US citizenship, the SSA may request specific information about your medical condition. The SSA lists a series of conditions that qualify for disability coverage. While your condition does not have to be on this list, it needs to be at least as severe as a similar condition on the list. Proving the severity of your condition, whether it is listed or not, may require information from a medical professional.
You or your doctor may be asked to provide detailed information regarding your physical abilities. This could include a checklist of daily tasks you are not able to perform, a description of your daily experiences, and other information to determine how your condition affects your life. This may be backed-up by a similar form prepared by your doctor or another caregiver. You should never feel pressured to lie or exaggerate your condition on these forms. In many cases, the truth is enough to convince the SSA that you have a serious condition.
Ultimately, the SSA may also ask for a medical examination performed by a doctor they trust to confirm your condition. This is nothing to be afraid of, and does not mean that the SSA thinks you are lying or at risk for denial. These medical exams are used as a matter of course in many applications, and are used to confirm the severity of the condition. Sometimes the words on paper just don’t do justice to the real-life status of a condition, and seeing it for themselves helps them see how severe your condition really is.
Fighting SSD Denials
It may take a long time for the SSA to return its decision on your application. If your disability application is denied, you may not be out of luck. Many denials may occur more quickly than expected, and usually mean that there simply isn’t enough information on the application. In these cases, you may be able to amend the application and resubmit it. In other cases, they may not think your condition is severe enough – but may not have asked for function reports or medical exams.
Having a disability attorney handle your case means having someone in your corner who understands the applications, the required evidence, and how to get the SSA the right information to strengthen your application. And, in the case of denials, an attorney like Ken Kieklak can appeal the case and fight to get you the benefits you need.
Fayetteville Social Security Lawyer
Fayetteville disability lawyer Ken Kieklak fights to help Arkansans get the disability benefits they need to support themselves. If you or a loved one is suffering from a serious physical or mental illness that prevents them from working, call Ken Kieklak, Attorney at Law, today for a free consultation on your disability case. For your free consultation, call (479) 316-0438 today.