Principal Attorney
A successful disability application is which has been fulfilled properly and has minimum probability of being denied. It requires a vast knowledge of the do’s and don’ts’s concerning your SSDI since only minor carelessness could be the reason of your disability application being denied.
The most difficult thing in your SSDI application is to prove your disability is severe enough to last a minimum 12 months, or unfortunately, result in death. When you are disabled, this may be a overwhelming task since you may already be under depression or anxiety because of your incapacity to perform work or your disability taking its tolls on your life.
Nonetheless, if you think that your disability is severe enough and prevents you from going to work or perform in substantial gainful activity, SGA, then you should apply for your disability benefits as soon as possible.
One common misconception people have is that they have to wait for at least 5 months since their disability to be able to file an application. That is not true. You should apply as soon as your disability and its severity are diagnosed because the time it takes for your application to be processed by the social security administration (5 months) will be counted as the time required for the waiting period of your disability (5 months). However, if you indeed qualify for disability benefits, you will most likely receive Disability Backpay for most of your medical bills during the time your case was being decided.
Here is the tip: You should immediately file for disability if your doctor is sure that your disability is expected to last longer than 12 months, impairs your ability to perform substantial gainful activity and is listed in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book of impairments.
Here are the documents you should have before filing your claim:
- Your Social Security Insurance number;
- If you were born outside the United States or its territories, the name of your birth country at the time of your birth (it may have a different name now), Permanent Resident Card number (if you are not a U.S. citizen);
- If you were in the military service, the type of duty and branch, and also your service period;
- Your W-2 Form from last year or, if you were self-employed, your federal income tax return (IRS 1040 and Schedules C and SE); Medical records of your sickness, injuries, and conditions, containing dates of treatment, and patient ID numbers; and the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the medical providers who treated you;
- Names and dates of medical tests you have had and who requested the tests;
- Names of medicines you are taking and who prescribed them;
- Medical records that you already have; and
- A list of up to five jobs and dates you worked during the last 15 years under SGA
You can go to your nearest social security administration office, or contact them through telephone 1–800-772-213, or apply online directly on the SSA’s website
To improve probabilities of your initial claim to be accepted you need to make sure to collect and keep all of your medical records to be presented with your ssdi claim. For specific guidance on your situation, requirements and disability you can consult our social security attorneys to guide you through the process smoothly and minimize the possibilities of denial.
