Disability denials are nearly unavoidable. According to publicly available statistics, the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies 67% of applications, but claims denials are not final. The claims appeals process is one that nearly every person applying for social security benefits may contend with.
Types of appeals
There are four rounds of appeals for proper benefits after the SSA denies your claim. Each round, from reconsideration to district court appeal, comes with advancing evidentiary needs. However, the more evidence you produce, the better you can argue for the necessity of the benefits you deserve.
What do appeals hearings review?
Primarily, the hearings will look at various pieces of evidence, such as:
- Hospital records
- Medication history
- Doctor reports
- Work duties
The SSA looks to confirm or dispute that you can no longer work due to your injury or condition. The standard they need to meet is “objective medical evidence from an acceptable medical source.”
Ensuring a successful appeal
There is no advice available to ensure success in a social security disability appeal. The fact is, if you are unable to continue work, you should receive benefits. That said, people tend to play down the pain they’re in or the difficulty they experience.
When it comes to the ability to complete your work duties if you have a medical or physical condition that significantly changes that, pretending it’s not bad does you no favors. You might earn appreciation from co-workers or managers for “gutting it out,” but that doesn’t improve your working conditions. And, if you consistently underperform due to your condition, your “good attitude” will not protect you from dismissal.
