Imagine this perfectly reasonable scenario: Something bad has happened in your life that makes it impossible to hold down your current job anymore. Perhaps you were hurt in an accident, or you developed a serious disease, or you have suffered a psychological injury. In any case, not only can’t you continue in your current line of employment, you don’t think that you can work in any position for at least a year.
Fortunately, you know that the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program exists to help people just like you. So you bring all your medical and work records to your local Social Security office, fill out the application forms, and wait for your submission to be accepted.
Actually, you wait a long time. Several months pass before you finally get the notification letter from the Social Security Administration. Eagerly, you tear open the envelope, to find that your SSDI claim was denied.
Now you have no job, no income, no prospects of working… and no Social Security coverage. What are you going to do next?
The Most Important Thing to Know after a Social Security Disability Claim Denial
You’re in good company: it is estimated that about two-thirds of all applicants have their SSDI claims denied. For many of these applicants, the denial occurs because they failed to demonstrate they were eligible. This means they failed to show one or more of the following:
- A sufficiently long work history
- A history of recent work that paid into the Social Security fund (OASDI)
- A disability that automatically qualifies for SSDI coverage
- A condition that is so debilitating as to prevent working in any occupation for which the applicant is skilled
Unfortunately, many applicants will make one of two critical mistakes at this point: either they give up, or else they reapply for benefits. Both of those options leave money on the table; they mean sacrificing monthly benefits that the applicant may well deserve. Additionally, an immediate re-application is almost guaranteed to get the same result—denial of benefits.
From our experience as York Social Security disability attorneys, we know the right answer for almost everyone is an appeal rather than a re-application. However, time is extremely short. After a claim is denied, an applicant has only 60 days to file an appeal. That means only two months to collect full documentation and submit it to get a case reconsidered.
Presenting the Strongest Case for your Benefits
If you already have applied for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and found your SSDI claim denied, you face the unpleasant prospect of having to fight for what you deserve. Fortunately, you don’t have to take on this battle alone. The SSDI lawyers at Schmidt Kramer help people in Dauphin County, Snyder County, Juniata County, and throughout Pennsylvania win the monthly income support they need.
Call us at 717-888-8888 or (717) 888-8888 toll-free, whether you have questions that need to be answered before applying or need to appeal an adverse decision. Every case is unique, so we can make no promises, but overall applicants who are represented by legal counsel are much more likely to ultimately get a favorable result. We offer every potential client a free, confidential case review, and we only bill for our legal services if we are able to help you get benefits.
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