Has your application for Social Security disability benefits been denied? You are not alone. According to data from the Social Security Administration, only about 33 percent of applications were approved in 2014. That percentage represents a significant drop over the last 15 years. More than 50 percent of applications were approved in 1999.
Still, if your application has been denied, then don’t give up. You can appeal a denial. It is important to make sure, though, that you’ve taken the necessary steps to make a successful claim.
For example, and as we discussed in one of our recent posts, it is crucial that you get the medical treatment you need and establish a medical record of your disability. In too many cases, people with legitimate disabilities are denied because they waited too late to get treatment or didn’t seek treatment at all.
Keep in mind, too, that the Social Security Administration wants other kinds of information besides your medical records to prove that you are unable to work because of your disability. For example, if you’re applying for SSDI, then the person examining your application will want to look closely at your work history. In many cases, the examiner determines that the applicant cannot do the same job they did before, but can do a different job.
Your application will be denied if that is the case, so it is important to gather all of your work records and fully explain your disability in order to avoid a denial of benefits. If you have a disability that is covered by Social Security, then you will still need to fully explain how the disability prevents you from working.
Other reasons for denial include the following:
- The applicant earns too much money
- The applicant hasn’t accrued enough work credits
- The SSA doesn’t recognize the specific disability
- Technical errors in the application
For more on appealing a denied SSDI application in Georgia, please see our denied claims overview.
