SSDI Applicants: Avoid These Key Mistakes
People who suffer from disabilities and cannot work are in a difficult situation, but fortunately, help is available. The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program offers disabled individuals financial compensation for their lost income. The requirements for approval, however, are rather strict and many people are denied acceptance. This article takes a look at some key mistakes applicants make when applying for Social Security Disability.
Lack of Medical Documentation
You must have strong medical documentation relating to your disability to have a good chance of being approved. Failing to provide this can result in your application being rejected. Keep records of all of the medical treatment you have received for your disability. This should include the contact information of all of your doctors and any clinics or hospitals where you have been treated. Social Security officials will probably want to contact these people or institutions, and lack of contact information could hurt your chances of acceptance.
A key point to keep in mind is that documentation from some professionals is more important than others. For example, documentation of treatment from a chiropractor or massage therapist is not going to help your cause. However, a record of treatment from a medical specialist, such as an orthopedist, may boost your chances of acceptance.
Lack of Work Documentation
It's vital that you give Social Security officials a complete record of your work history. They will use this to help determine if you are eligible for the SSDI program. Give as much detail as you can about each job you have held. Failing to do so could result in your application being rejected.
Here is an example of how this might play out in practice. Suppose that you applied for SSDI because of a back injury and that in the job you held before you became disabled, you had to lift 50 pounds every day. Program officials are going to go over your application to see if you are physically able to return to your previous job. If they do not know that you had to lift heavy objects regularly, they might mistakenly think you could return to your job when, in fact, you could not safely perform this type of work anymore.
Failure to Hire an Attorney
Getting approved for SSDI is not easy and typically requires expert assistance. Failing to hire an attorney with experience in this field is a huge mistake. Statistics show that applicants who have a lawyer representing them have a higher rate of acceptance than those who go it alone.