Common Reasons For SSDI Denials
When you have suffered a debilitating injury or you have been diagnosed with a debilitating condition, you may have immediately moved forward with filing an application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits only to be denied. If you were denied SSDI benefits, it is important to know that you are certainly not alone. Claims are denied routinely by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for a wide variety of reasons, and it may be possible to appeal successfully with assistance from a national SSDI benefits lawyer. Why are most claims denied? The following are some of the most common reasons for denial, which include both lack of eligibility for benefits and minor errors that can often be resolved quickly and effectively.
You Did Not Submit Enough Medical Evidence
One of the most common reasons that claims are denied is that they lack enough medical evidence to support your claim that you have a disability according to the SSA’s definition. You might have submitted some medical evidence that the SSA did not think was sufficient to show that you have an eligible disability, or you might not have submitted the medical records that the SSA requires. If your claim was denied for medical reasons, including lack of sufficient medical evidence, you can request a reconsideration online for a medical determination. At this point, your claim will be reviewed anew by someone who did not review your claim initially, and you will be able to submit new evidence. Accordingly, if you do have the necessary medical evidence but did not submit it the first time around, a reconsideration may result in SSDI benefits approval.
Your Application Contain an Error
You may have simply made a mistake in submitting your original SSDI application. Depending upon whether the error concerned a medical determination or a non-medical determination, you will likely be able to request a reconsideration online with any errors resolved and any necessary additional evidence submitted.
You Can Engage in Substantial Gainful Activity
One of the requirements for SSDI benefits is that you have a disability according to the SSA, which means that you are unable to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) for a year or longer. What this means is that, even though your doctor might have described your injury or illness as resulting in a “disability,” if you can engage in any kind of SGA, the SSA will have denied your claim because you will not meet its definition of a disability.
Your Disabling Condition is Likely to Resolve Within One Year
Similar to being able to engage in substantial gainful activity, if your condition is not expected to last for at least one year or to result in your death — in other words, if your condition is likely to resolve before 12 months have passed — then you will not have met the SSA’s definition of a disability. To be clear, even if your current condition has resulted in a temporary total disability that prevents you from doing any kind of work or even caring for yourself, you will not be eligible for SSDI benefits unless the condition is expected to last for at least 12 months or to result in death.
Contact a National SSDI Benefits Attorney
If you need assistance with your reconsideration or appeal, one of the national SSDI benefits attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Barszcz can assist you.
Source:
ssa.gov/benefits/disability/appeal.html?tl=0
