|
It is not easy to get approved for either social security disability or SSI benefits. First a claimant must amass a detailed medical and work history in support of his or her claim, including addresses, contact information, dates of treatment or employment, etc. Then, the claimant must wait months while their case works its way through the state disability examiner’s office, where it will in all likelihood be denied. In fact, over seventy percent of disability claims are denied upon their initial review, and over 80 percent of disability claims are denied upon request for reconsideration (an appeal in which a claimant asks the state disability agency to reconsider their decision). After a claim and reconsideration appeal is denied by the state disability agency, the claimant can ask for a disability hearing before an administrative judge. However, those suffering from disabling medical conditions will find to their frustration that they are facing yet another long wait: It typically takes one to two years for claims to be heard by a judge, and although the longest waits are found around major cities, a lengthy wait to have your SSD or SSI case heard is now commonplace no matter where you live. To make matters worse, the disability determination process often puts the claimant at a disadvantage, because state disability examiners do not make a habit of requesting detailed medical statements, or residual functional capacity statements (RFCs), from the claimant’s physician(s). An RFC is critical in determining the extent of a disability in most cases, because so few medical conditions fit neatly within the guidelines or criteria listed in the social security disability impairment manual, or “blue book.” An RFC is needed to explain the nature of the claimant’s disability and how it affects his or her ability to work, as well as those activities of which he or she is or is not capable. An RFC is usually an asset to the claimant at a disability hearing, as administrative judges tend to react positively to them and give them great weight in considering whether to approve or deny benefits. In an ideal world, the social security administration (SSA) would routinely request an RFC from physicians, especially given the fact that it is needed to accurately determine the extent to which a claimant is disabled. Given that an RFC corroborating your condition can be critical to approval of your benefits, it is a good idea to make sure that you or your disability attorney request one from a supportive physician well in advance of your hearing. 
Social Security Disability and SSI Disability Information
Disability Attorneys Help with Claims Free Case Evaluation |
|
|