Suffering from a long-term disability or permanent work injury affects thousands of Americans which leads to families in financial ruins and individuals facing job loss and a long recovery. What they don’t know is that the social security disability insurance claim is specifically designed to help those with disabling conditions offset the cost of medical bills and other necessities. In this article, our Kentucky bankruptcy attorneys share what the application process looks like this year.
How to Apply for Social Security Insurance
If you or a loved one is suffering from an impairment, you should learn the different benefits you can get from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Disability insurance claims normally follow the process outlined below.
Collecting Relevant Information
Before reaching out to Social Security, make sure you have collected the following information:
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- Social security number for you, your spouse, and any dependents or children
- W-2 information from the previous year
- For those in the military, discharge papers for every period of active duty
- Contact details of your medical doctor, treating physician, therapist, nurse, or other healthcare providers
- Dates of treatments and hospitalization
- Physician notes, Surgical documents, and other treatment records
- List of medications and prescriptions
- Work history (job type)
- Worker’s compensation or insurance claims filed
You will need to fill-out and provide this information on your application form and copies of the documents will be sent alongside your submission. It is a good practice to always collect your medical records and check for completion before submitting your social security disability insurance (SSDI) claim.
Submitting Your Disability Request
You can apply by scheduling a physical appointment at the nearest SSA field office. You may also call their hotline and provide all information requested over the phone, then have the supporting documents mailed to the Social Security office.
An even more convenient method is to do it online through the Social Security Administration (SSA) website www.ssa.gov. You will normally submit the “Social Security Adult Disability Report”. Expect the form to have different sections that will look into your medical condition, work, or any substantial gainful activity, education or training, and treatments.
If you are concurrently applying for disability insurance and supplemental security income (SSI), you may complete both forms online. However, online SSI applications are only permitted for those who are between the ages of 18 and 65, never married, not blind, and a U.S. citizen from one of the 50 states, District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands. SSI claimants must also have no prior record of receiving SSI benefits.
Reviewing Disability Claims
At this stage, there is nothing to do but wait for the SSA to review your documents. You may undergo a consultative exam to check the extent of your disability and verify if you meet the criteria for disability determination as covered in the disability guideline. The cost of the assessment is covered by the local social security office.
To ensure the best chances for approval, make sure to attend the scheduled exam and any other requested appearance. When the SSA reviews your submission, they will read the findings of the exam, check statements from your physicians, and analyze your medical evidence.
Another way to increase the possibility of getting approved is to have a social security attorney review your claim. A disability attorney can examine your medical records and other supporting documentation and suggest additional documents to prove your case.
The waiting period can take up to four months. You will know the result in a letter that will be sent to your mailing address.
Claiming Your Disability Benefits
The exact amount of your monthly benefits, and back pays (if applicable) will be indicated in your acceptance of the claim letter. However, for those whose claims are not approved, requests for appeals are entertained up to 60 days from the date the decision notice has been received by the claimant.
In the end, when you apply for social security to claim your SSI disability or SSDI benefits, you need to build a case as to why you need to receive support and how you are qualified for those benefits. However, self-represented claimants may still end up having their applications denied. When this happens, you still fight.
Appealing Denied Claims
Rejected applications may still go through the appeal process and our Kentucky social security disability attorneys can help you go through the process of appearing before the appeals council.
Has your claim been denied? Let our social security disability lawyers from Kentucky at Farmer and Wright can help you appeal your disability case. Our disability lawyers will gather the medical evidence to support your disability claim and advocate your interests at the administrative hearing.
Call our office to discuss your eligibility for Social Security disability benefits.
