Eight Helpful Tips For Applying For Disability
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
When you’ve developed a disability through injury or illness, it can be the most stressful time of your life. You are worried about the financial security of your family, making adjustments to your new health circumstances, and trying to stay on top of it all while managing your pain. Add to that the stress of applying for disability benefits and it can all become extremely overwhelming. At All Injuries Law Firm, we understand how trying this period can be so we’ve put together this list of helpful tips so that when you apply for your disability claim, you don’t have the added stress of a denial. Here are eight tips to help move the process along:1. File your claim immediately: The disability claims process takes a long time and the sooner you get your claim filed, the sooner you can get an approval and receive benefits. Also if you are applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), your benefits may expire if you don’t file a claim quickly.
2. Prepare yourself for your disability interview: The Social Security Administration (SSA) will ask you a number of questions such as when your conditions become debilitating, the dates you last were able to work, and information about your injury and illness and medical treatment.
3. Gather all the necessary documentation: You will need all the medical paperwork to prove your injury or illness including the names, addresses, and phone numbers for your doctors, the dates of visits and medical treatments relating to the disability, and the names of the various medications you are taking. You will also need proof of income like your work history, earnings statements, tax filings, and proof of other assets like investments and other forms of income.
4. Do not minimize the severity of your disability: Minimizing the severity of your disability can negatively affect your claim. Instead document your pain, suffering, and symptoms so they understand the degree of your disability. Also make sure you visit your doctor regularly to show that you require serious treatment.
5. Get help with the paperwork: There are very complex laws and regulations surrounding disability claims and the paperwork can be extremely difficult to fill out. This is especially true if your disability stands in the way of you being able to manage these complexities because of severe pain or physical limitations.
6. Regularly check the status of your claim: Your claim can be denied for simple administrative errors or missing information. If you routinely check on the status of your claim and communicate with the SSA, you can avoid these mistakes by providing them the correct information when it comes up.
7. Be ready to appeal: Disability claims are often denied, even when they are legitimate. So if you receive a denial, investigate the reason, and then file an appeal right away. Your denial may be the result of a simple error that can easily be fixed.
8. Hire an attorney: Social security law is very complex and understanding the application process, the required documentation, and filing an appeal can all be very difficult, especially when you are dealing with an illnesses or injury. A social security attorney can help relieve some of this burden.
These simple tips will help you get through the disability application process quickly and reduce the stress and pressure of applying. If you need help with your disability claim, consider hiring one of our knowledgeable attorneys at All Injuries Law Firm. With over 30 years of experience navigating the disability claims process, we can help you file a claim or appeal a denial, so that you and your family’s financial security is safe. So call us today for a free consultation and learn the other ways we can help you with your disability claim.