SSDRC

Filing an Application for Disability Benefits

How do you win disability benefits?

If I am determined disabled, how far back will Social Security pay benefits?

How do you prove your disability case if you have a mental condition?

What Can I Do to Improve My Chances of Winning Disability Benefits

Common Mistakes after Receiving a Denial of benefits

How to File for Disability - Tips for Filing

If You Get Approved For SSDI Will You Also Get Medicare?

How much is paid for the Social Security Disability Attorney Fee?

Social Security Disability SSI Criteria and the Evaluation Process

How long does it take to be approved for SSI or Social Security disability?

Qualifying: What do you Need to Prove to Qualify for Disability?

Applying for disability for Fibromyalgia

Filing for disability with Degenerative Disc Disease

Can I Qualify For Disability on the basis of Depression?

Answers to questions about SSD and SSI disability

What Disabilities Qualify for SSI and Social Security Disability Benefits?

Social Security Disability Status

A Tip for Making a Request for a Disability Hearing

How to prove you are disabled
and win disability benefits

Most applicants for Social Security Disability or SSI disability benefits will be in the position of having to request a disability hearing at some point. This is simply due to the fact that most claimants will be denied for disability benefits at the first step in the process (filing an application for benefits) and will also be denied at the second step in the process (filing a request for reconsideration).

Making a request for a hearing is fairly simply. It simply involves contacting the social security office following the receipt of a reconsideration denial and requesting the appeal, at which point the social security office will mail out the appropriate forms.

What is a reconsideration? Reconsideration (actually known as a request for reconsideration) is the first appeal that a claimant can file for and this becomes available after a disability application has been denied. Reconsiderations are handled identically to disability applications. Since they are, though, it should come as no surprise that most reconsiderations are turned down as well. In fact, in most states, well more than half of all reconsideration appeals are turned down.

Because reconsiderations are turned with such great frequency, most claimants will find it necessary to file their second appeal, which is a request for a disability hearing. Fortunately, more than half of all individuals who go to hearings have their cases approved and inevitably receive benefits.

Tip: if you have disability representation at the time your reconsideration is denied, you may have your disability attorney request your hearing for you. And if you do not have representation at this time, you may wish to consider locating a representative since a representative will be useful in preparing a case for a hearing, including gathering medical record updates and statements from physicians that support a claimant's case for benefits.