Denied Twice for Disability, Will a Congressman be Able to Help?   A questioner wrote the following: "I've been turned down twice and I've been told my next appeal will take even longer. Is there anyone who can help on this? Should I write my congressman?" It sounds as though your claim may be at the level of a disability hearing before an administrative law judge (you said you had been denied twice and I am assuming you are referring to a denial on an initial claim and a second denial on a request for reconsideration, which is the first appeal available to claimants). If this is the case, contacting a congressman can have some potential benefits. This would be known as a congressional inquiry and it is conducted by a staff person at a congressman's office. Basically, it simply means that the staffer will contact the hearing office to check the status of a pending request for a hearing. I've seen situations where this can have a favorable effect on the time it takes to schedule a hearing, which, without a doubt, is the one step in the disability evaluation process that consumes the most precious time (I say precious because so many applicants for disability wind up teetering on the financial brink at some point due to the fact that the process is so ridiculously long). Should you contact a congressman's office if your claim is not at the hearing level, but, say, at the initial claim or reconsideration level? I wouldn't dissuade someone from doing this but, thus far, I haven't really seen evidence that this is helpful or productive. At the hearing level it can potentially move the scheduling of a hearing along faster. You should also keep in mind that no politician will be able to exert any influence whatsoever on the outcome of a claim. There seems to be a myth out there that this can be done; however, if this was the case then the federal disability system would quickly devolve into something very corrupt and lacking any integrity. So, in brief, no, a congressman cannot help you "win" disability; he or she can typically only move a hearing request through the system faster. About the Author: Tim Moore is a former Social Security Disability Examiner in North Carolina, has been interviewed by the NY Times and the LA Times on the disability system, and is an Accredited Disability Representative (ADR) in North Carolina. For assistance on a disability application or Appeal in NC, click here. Most popular topics on SSDRC.com Social Security Disability in North Carolina Common Mistakes to avoid after being denied for Disability Tips to Prepare for Filing for Social Security Disability or SSI Advice to Win SSD and SSI Benefit Claims Social Security Disability SSI Questions What is the difference between Social Security Disability and SSI? How to get disability for depression Getting disability for fibromyalgia SSI disability for children with ADHD What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI? Social Security Disability SSI Exam tips More Social Security Disability SSI Questions What makes you eligible for Social Security Disability or SSI? Related pages: Social Security Disability, medium work, and your records SSD, SSI, and medium, light, and sedentary work What Does Social Security Consider To Be a Disability? The Social Security Award Notice What Are The Odds of Winning A Social Security Disability Appeal? What Conditions Qualify For Social Security Disability? Will a Disability Lawyer decline taking your disability case? Picking the right disability attorney Free Legal Representation for Social Security Disability or SSI claims Check Amount on Social Security Disability Award Letter Spinal Stenosis and Filing for Disability Can you be approved for disability without a hearing? Social Security Disability Maximum back pay Social Security Disability Claims and Medical Exams Factors involved in Winning SSDI or SSI Claims What Should I Expect at my Social Security Disability Review if I am working part-time? Filing for Disability - Blind in one eye and a Learning Disability, Do I have a Case? How long does it take to hear from SSI?