Why Will A Social Security Disability Application Get Denied?
There are basically two types of disability application denials: technical and medical. If a disability application is denied for technical reasons, the application will never be sent for a medical determination. Technical denials include lack of insured status denials, performance of SGA denials, and res judicata denials.
The first type
1. Lack of insured status denial- A disability denial that is based upon an individual not having earned enough quarters of coverage to be insured for disability benefits. Quarters of coverage can be earned at a rate of four per year provided an individual has earned enough money for that year. An individual’s age at the time of they became disabled determines how many quarters of coverage are needed to be eligible for Social Security disability.
2. Performance of SGA denial- Each year Social Security determines a gross monthly earnings amount that it considers to equate with substantial gainful work activity. If an individual is earning over this amount, their disability claim will be denied.
3. Res judicata denial- A disability denial that is based upon a decision made in the past that was after the date an individual was last insured for Social Security disability. If the person has no new work activity, Social Security deems the Social Security disability issue closed.
4. Failure to cooperate denial- This is a denial that is based upon an individual’s failure to provide information or paperwork that is necessary to process their disability claim (whether or not a failure to cooperate denial is technical or medical will depend on where it occurs, i.e. at the social security field office or at the disability determination services agency).
The second type
The second type of denial is a medical denial. Medical denial decisions are made by disability examiners at the state disability agency and are based upon an individual’s medical impairment, residual functional capacity, work history, age, and education. Disability examiners can also deny a claim for failure to cooperate if an individual does not provide them with information or fails to attend a consultative examination, and these denials are considered medical denials.

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Social Security Disability Secrets
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The first type
1. Lack of insured status denial- A disability denial that is based upon an individual not having earned enough quarters of coverage to be insured for disability benefits. Quarters of coverage can be earned at a rate of four per year provided an individual has earned enough money for that year. An individual’s age at the time of they became disabled determines how many quarters of coverage are needed to be eligible for Social Security disability.
2. Performance of SGA denial- Each year Social Security determines a gross monthly earnings amount that it considers to equate with substantial gainful work activity. If an individual is earning over this amount, their disability claim will be denied.
3. Res judicata denial- A disability denial that is based upon a decision made in the past that was after the date an individual was last insured for Social Security disability. If the person has no new work activity, Social Security deems the Social Security disability issue closed.
4. Failure to cooperate denial- This is a denial that is based upon an individual’s failure to provide information or paperwork that is necessary to process their disability claim (whether or not a failure to cooperate denial is technical or medical will depend on where it occurs, i.e. at the social security field office or at the disability determination services agency).
The second type
The second type of denial is a medical denial. Medical denial decisions are made by disability examiners at the state disability agency and are based upon an individual’s medical impairment, residual functional capacity, work history, age, and education. Disability examiners can also deny a claim for failure to cooperate if an individual does not provide them with information or fails to attend a consultative examination, and these denials are considered medical denials.

Return to:
Other Posts
Qualifying for disability on the first application
Social Security Disability and to Qualify for Benefits
How likely would I be to qualify for social security disability benefits?
Requirements to qualify for disability
How do you qualify medically for disability?
Eligibility for SSI disability
Labels: applying for disability, social security disability application

