Getting a Social Security Disability Approval

Getting a Social Security disability approval can take months and sometimes years. The process usually involves the filing of an initial claim (a.k.a. a disability application), receiving an initial denial on a claim (approximately seventy percent of all claims are initially denied), submitting an appeal known as a request for reconsideration, receiving a second denial on the reconsideration appeal, and, then ultimately, after having been denied twice, filing a request for a disability hearing.

Most people just chalk this long disability claim evaluation process up to a failed or outdated system and a lack of disability examiners and administrative judges. While these are very serious issues, in actuality they are only part of the problem. And for many claimants, getting through the system successfully involves how the claim process is approached. There are, in fact, ways to handle your disability claim and initial application that can speed the process up considerably.

The first thing to consider if you are facing disability and the loaming prospect of having to apply for disability benefits is finding medical treatment as soon as possible from a doctor who is willing to work with you on your disability claim.

Unfortunately, not all doctors want to take the extra time to fill out a medical source statement (a statement that outlines your functional limitations and remaining functional capacity). If you are aware that you may be facing disability, speak with your doctor right away about whether this is something they would be willing to work with you on. Your disability claim is based on your medical information and without this information it is nearly impossible to receive disability. And a doctor's statement to support your claim is one of the best forms of medical evidence that can contribute to a potentially winning case

If you find out that you are disabled and have a competent doctor that is willing to help you with your disability claim, the next step will be to file a claim. A social security disability claim is an extensive application that, from the perspective of many applicants, requires a lot of research and fact-checking. Why is this? Because social security requires the submission of a claimant's medical history and work history. And while most individuals are familiar with this information (after all, it is their own information), being able to provide a complete list with names, dates, and phone numbers can be somewhat taxing.

And on the matter of disability applications, in some cases, the way the application is filled out can account for longer processing time on a case. Filling the application out in its entirety is of paramount importance. Leaving blanks in work and medical history, providing faulty phone numbers or addresses, and being vague with dates and detailed information can account for complications and longer processing time.

Possibly, one of the most important things you can do to speed up the process on a disability claim is to be thorough and detailed when providing your work and medical history. Double check names, addresses, phone numbers and dates. Make sure that you have provided the most in-depth, correct information and you will definitely increase your chances of a speedier approval. Social Security Disability claims reps will not fill this information in for you, they will not track down missing information and they will not make calls and do research to fill out your application.

In the end, it is your responsibility to make sure the details are 100 percent correct. If not, though you may never be the wiser, your claim may not be in the best possible position to receive an approval.

The author of this article is Timothy Moore, who, in addition to being a former food stamp caseworker, medicaid caseworker and AFDC caseworker, is a former disability claims examiner for the social security administration. He publishes information on his Social Security Disability Blog