For more than two decades we have helped individuals across Kentucky get SSD benefits. We have the legal skills and experience to handle the paperwork and aggressively fight for your rights.
The application and appeals processes for Social Security disability benefits are complex, and there are many areas where mistakes can be made. The seven common mistakes discussed below are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of problems that may arise when making a benefits claim.
The Kentucky SSD lawyers at the Frank Jenkins Law Office can help you avoid these and other common pitfalls when applying for Social Security disability benefits or when appealing a denied claim. Contact our Lexington Social Security Disability lawyers today at 859-389-9344 or use our online contact form.
Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when trying to get SSD benefits:
- Not understanding which programs to apply to. The Social Security Administration administers two main types of disability programs: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for those with little work history and limited resources and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSDI isn’t means-based, but instead requires that an applicant has worked long enough and paid enough into the system. Individuals may qualify for SSI, SSDI or both, but it is important to choose the right program or programs to avoid a denial based on a failure to meet basic qualifications.
- Not including complete medical documentation. The SSA is very strict in terms of who is considered disabled enough to receive benefits. You must provide sufficient medical records to show that your condition meets the SSA’s definition of “disabled.” Failing to properly document a disability can lead to the denial of an otherwise valid claim for SSD benefits.
- Not including correct medical documentation. The SSA doesn’t want just any medical proof. They want medical proof from doctors who treat you regularly on an ongoing basis. The doctors must be licensed physicians and, ideally, should be specialists in the field that they are treating you for. For example, if you are claiming disability based on a heart condition, you should have records from a cardiologist who treats you on a regular basis.
- Not properly documenting the necessary symptoms of the disability. It is important that you prove your condition has lasted or will last for 12 months or is expected to end in death; that it is sufficiently severe and disabling; and that it encompasses the symptoms required by the “blue book.” If you do not provide medical proof of these things, your claim probably won’t be approved.
- Giving up when a benefits claim is denied. The majority of initial SSD benefits applications result in denial. Don’t give up! If you do, you either won’t get benefits at all or will have to start the application process all over again –something you want to avoid, since it takes three to five months on average to even get an initial answer. Instead of giving up, you’ll want to take advantage of the appeals process that gives you another chance at getting the benefits you deserve.
- Failing to appeal a benefits denial in time. There are time limits at each stage of the appeals process. If you do not comply with the time limits, you could lose your right to appeal the denial.
- Not getting the help you need to get the SSD benefits you deserve. If you are denied benefits when you have a legitimate claim, the government is denying you the right to receive benefits you deserve. Many SSD applicants are not used to dealing with government bureaucracy like that associated with Social Security. Our SSD lawyers work with the system every day, and we know how to cut through the red tape.
Need Help With Your Disability Claim? Contact Our Kentucky SSD Lawyers Now
For over 15 years, the Kentucky Social Security disability lawyers at the Frank Jenkins Law Office have helped disabled people avoid making costly mistakes in their efforts to claim the disability benefits they need and deserve. Your next step should be to contact us for a free case evaluation.
If you or a loved one needs legal assistance with a disability claim, or if you have questions about appealing a denied claim, contact a Kentucky SSD lawyer today at 859-389-9344 or use our online contact form.
