More than half of all Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits claims are rejected during the initial application stage. These rejections include applications for those who rightfully qualify for disability claims.
To minimize the risk of rejection, consider the following tips.
Gather concrete medical evidence
Including sufficient medical evidence that clearly shows your level of disability is crucial. When gathering the supporting documents required for your application, you can request help from a medical professional, including therapists, physicians and psychiatrists. You might collect:
- Diagnostic tests showing the severity of your condition
- Medical testing and results
- Emergency room visit logs
- Medical background and treatment history
- Statements from physicians or other medical professionals
Medical evidence like this can strengthen your claim.
Cooperate with requests for additional information or testing
The SSA might request additional information. For instance, they may send you to a consultative examination or require you to undergo x-rays, pulmonary function testing, etc. Ultimately, the SSA will determine your residual functional capacity.
To keep your application moving forward, you must comply with these requests to prevent delays and denials.
Follow your prescribed treatment program
Although diagnostic tests may show evidence of your disability, the SSA may deny a claim if they discover that you failed to follow your prescribed healthcare instructions.
The SSA does, however, accept certain legitimate excuses that might prevent you from following your treatment program. These allowances include any mental health complications that make it difficult to follow directions. They also account for those who cannot afford prescribed therapy or do not have enough assistance to comply with the treatment.
It’s important to note that the treatment prescribed must be directly related to your ability to return to work. If your healthcare professional indicates that a specific type of therapy will not support your ability to complete a substantial gainful activity, failing to follow the treatment plan generally will not be a reason for denial.
These tips can prevent denied claims and lengthy delays due to resubmitting application paperwork.
However, the fact is that the SSA makes mistakes and wrongfully denies too many applications. Thus, even if they reject your application initially, do not lose hope; pursuing an appeal with legal guidance can help you fight for the benefits you deserve.