Individuals who are disabled severely enough to be unable to work may be able to receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits that they may use to meet their basic expenses. The process of obtaining these benefits can be extremely detailed and complicated, and many people often do not know what to expect as things move forward. This posting provides some practical advice regarding SSD benefits.
Your initial claims will often be denied
The Social Security Administration is the agency responsible for making determinations as to whether or not applicants are in fact disabled. They have not made this process easy on applicants. Each application for benefits must contain very specific information that details the exact condition that an individual claims is causing their inability to work.
One of the criteria that must be met before benefits will be awarded is that the condition must cause an individual to be out of work for a year. Proving that the injury or illness is severe enough to meet this threshold is challenging, and causes many applications to be rejected out of hand. Those who find themselves in this position will be able to appeal their case, but, this will only add to the time that it will take before a final determination is made.
It can take a long time for the process to complete
Because of the complex nature of the application process, many requests can take longer than a year to receive a final decision. This means that applicants who are depending upon these benefits may not receive the funds they need while they are dealing with their injuries or illnesses. Filing out these applications correctly can go a long way toward ensuring that your requests receive a proper review.
An experienced attorney is essential to filing a successful request
This is probably the first time that you have ever applied for SSD benefits. This is an extremely complex application process and it is easy to miss an important step or forget to include information that is necessary to establish your claims. These mistakes can lead to significant delays and prevent your applications from reaching the next stage.
An experienced SSD benefits attorney will be able to assist you with all phases of the process. This ensures that your application will be complete and current, containing the documentation and evidence needed to demonstrate your disability. Also, if your claims are rejected, your attorney will immediately be able to begin assisting you with any appeals or hearings that may be required as part of your case.
The longer you wait to seek out an experienced attorney, the more difficult your case can become. As we mentioned earlier, this is a time-consuming process even in the best of circumstances. The sooner you take action, the sooner you can get the benefits that you need to help make ends meet.
