Do Your Social Security Disability Income Application Right The First Time To Avoid Delays

The Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) application process is complicated, and a small mistake can disqualify you. The appeals process can be even more complicated and take longer. Get help from a social security disability attorney, like those at Banik & Renner, during your initial application, so you'll avoid these costly mistakes.

Reporting an Income That's Too High

There are guidelines as to how much income you can have and still be eligible for SSDI. Income from a job or contract work are included, but such items as monetary gifts and food assistance are not. Your attorney will go over all of your sources of income and tell you which ones to include and which to leave out, so you don't report an income that's too high to receive benefits.

Reporting a Short-Term Disability

SSDI benefits are for those physical disabilities that will keep you from working for a year or longer. A broken arm may take months to heal, but if you can go back to work within a year, you're not eligible for benefits. Your attorney will work with the healthcare providers to collect statements on your prognosis. How they report your progress is important for your SSDI application. For example, if the bone in your broken arm becomes infected, your doctor may report that it's unlikely that you'll go back to work in the year. This statement indicates the injury will probably lead to a long-term disability, qualifying you for benefits.

Missing Medical Information

If you fail to include medical information in your application that you didn't think was relevant, your application will be rejected. For instance, if you didn't disclose that you are being treated for depression because you think this doesn't relate to your broken arm, you could be disqualified. The rejection was not for the depression treatment, but for the fact that it was not disclosed. An SSDI attorney can go through your medical information with you to point out which items need to be included and tell you how to report them on the application.

Not Accepting Prescribed Treatment

Should you fail to go through with a treatment that your doctor recommends, you can also be denied SSDI benefits. You may have a good reason for not following up with the treatment, such as it was too costly or it was too inconvenient to get to the treatment location. If you didn't get a specific treatment, the reasons why need to be thoroughly documented, and your attorney will help prepare that part of the application.

Start the application process out right by getting an attorney involved to help. Give yourself the best chance of getting approved with your initial application.


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