How to Fight Back: 4 Tips for Appealing an SSDI Rejection

Filing for disability benefits can be a long process at times, and it can often be extended even longer by claim denials from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Fortunately, not all is lost if you’ve been denied or had your monthly benefits terminated.

If you act promptly to appeal the SSA’s determination, and obtain enough medical evidence for your disability through physicians’ records, you can reverse the SSA’s decision and get the full benefits you deserve.

If you act quickly and appeal the SSA’s determination, you can reverse their decision and get the full benefits you deserve. Here are a few tips covering how.

1.) Don’t Leave Anything Out of Your Appeal

In most cases, SSDI application denials are based on one of three main factors:

• Poor documentation or application building
• Mistakes made by the SSA
• Failing to meet a listing in the law

Whatever the cause for your application’s denial or benefit termination, it’s important to resolve those issues in an SSDI appeal. If you have been denied benefits, or have had your existing benefits terminated, it may be because of insufficient evidence or poor medical proof (the two largest contributors in the SSA’s decision-making). This can be resolved by gathering medical evidence and building a more complete record when filing an official appeal with the SSA.

2.) Hire an Experienced Consultant to Oversee Your Appeal

As many first-time applicants find out on their own when applying for disability benefits through the SSA, building a complete, effective application is a complex business. Appealing an initial determination made by the SSA can be similarly difficult.

Fortunately, the same rules  for filing the initial application also apply to filing an appeal. Hiring an experienced, passionate, and knowledgeable disability expert to help form and guide your determination appeal can make a world of difference in its success.

It can be a more secure and safe route to work with a consultant, as there is less of a risk of losing your appeal (as well as your initial determination). Act quickly and contact a disability professional in your state to help you get the full benefits you deserve.

3.) Use Periodical Medical Reviews to Your Benefit

Another core component of the SSA’s determinations over benefits is periodic medical reviews. These are used by the administration as “check-ups” to ensure that your condition still warrants financial support. They conduct occasional reviews designed to cease benefits to disability beneficiaries who are no longer considered to be disabled under the law.

Conversely, these reviews can be used to confirm the status of your condition and provide continued support of your disability claim and need of benefits.

4.) Reveal Mistakes with Your Initial Determination

The SSA is a thorough program, but they are not immune to errors or vague directions. Mistakes in regards to applications and SSDI appeals can happen. If you feel your condition was improperly assessed, there are mistakes in your paperwork, or that your benefits have been incorrectly terminated, don’t hesitate to contact a disability expert in your area and file an appeal. The sooner you act, the better your chances will be of overturning your denial or termination.

You can continue to receive your benefits during the appeal period if you file a written request for payment continuation with Social Security within 10 days of the date on your termination letter. 

Don’t give up on your benefits just because the SSA review board says so. Contact a disability professional right away to overturn initial determinations and get the SSDI compensation you need.