You know that your chances of an initial rejection for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits are good. In a review of all applications from the 2010 decade, the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied 67% of all claims.
Because your disability limits you, you must continue to fight for those benefits. However, you also must remember that the SSA has strict rules related to how it determines who gets these much-needed benefits.
Fighting for those benefits
Let us take a closer look at the numbers and your odds of receiving SSD benefits.
From 2010 to 2019, the SSA awarded disability benefits to only 21% of first-time applicants. Another 10% were OK’d for those benefits after appeal hearings and reconsideration.
According to the SSA’s most recent annual statistical report, the government rejected the disability benefits claims of more than 469,000 people in 2019.
The top reasons claims denied
Why does the SSA deny so many claims? Here are the top reasons:
- The applicant has the ability to do other types of work: 42%
- The person’s medical ailment or injury is not severe: 24%
- The applicant has the ability to do his or her usual previous work: 9%
- The person’s impairment did not or will not last 12 months: 5%
In addition, the SSA denied the claims of 20.5% of applicants for an assortment of other reasons. This list may include that the ailment has ties to alcoholism or drug addiction; insufficient medical evidence provided; the applicant’s failure to cooperate; the applicant’s failure to follow prescribed treatment; the applicant chooses to no longer pursue the claim; and the person returns to work before the establishment of the physical disability.
Pursue an appeal
Do not give up the fight when seeking SSD benefits. Pursuing an appeal with the help of a skilled legal advocate will work in your favor.
