The Social Security Administration (SSA) can often take a long time to process Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims. Simply put, you may have to wait for months before you hear either a denial or an approval. That doesn't mean, though, that there is nothing applicants can do to help speed things along. Read on and find out some tips on getting your claim though the approval or denial process faster than you might have thought.
1. Be Detailed Oriented When Applying for SSDI
This is no time to skimp on details and information. The SSA needs to have as much information about the medical condition of the claimant as possible, and that can mean:
- A listing of all medical conditions, not just the one that's giving you the most trouble.
- A listing of all symptoms that are preventing you from doing your job with plenty of examples.
- A list of all doctors and medical facilities where you received treatment.
2. Be Accurate and Complete
You must consider that the SSA knows nothing about you except what you put on your application for benefits. You should never assume that the SSA understands all about your condition or that they know how to get in touch with your doctors. When it comes to the names of impairments, get them exact and spell them correctly. Use the correct address and phone number for medical facilities. Go into more depth than you think is necessary to cover all your bases.
3. Get Those Dates Right
Few things are more important than the dates you put on your application. The SSA needs to know the exact dates you began to suffer from your impairment, the date you first sought treatment, and the last day you worked. The last day worked (known as the date of last insurance or DLI) is often used to figure out your back pay. Back pay allows applicants to be paid retroactive benefits going back to the day they became too disabled to work at their job and is not based on the date they applied for benefits. Be careful and precise because the SSA will verify your information.
4. Send in Medical Records
You might be surprised at how much processing time is spent waiting on records. Make copies of your records and supply them along with your application to cut the processing time.
5. Seek Legal Help
The final tip on speeding up your application process is to talk to a Social Security lawyer about your case. They can assist you with your application and speed things up considerably when requesting medical records. Best of all, they understand exactly what the SSA is looking for in an application and can help applicants get approved faster and more successfully.
For more information about social security disability law, contact a local law firm.
Sadly, many people are injured due to someone else's negligence. Maybe you were in a car accident that was the other driver's fault, and now you're dealing with relentless back pain. Or perhaps your neighbor's dog bit you, and you're considering suing them. Both of these scenarios fall under the legal umbrella of personal injury law.
Since proving someone else is responsible for your injuries can be challenging, the world of personal injury law is a vast one. Your own attorney is your best source of information directly related to your own case, but we created this website to give you a good basic overview of what your personal injury case may entail — and what you can expect when you meet with your attorney. Dig in and start reading our articles; you'll soon feel more informed as to what's to come.