How Hard Is It To Get Disability

Red Denied Stamp on Social Security Disability Paperwork Unfortunately, the majority of applications for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are denied. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the average acceptance rate of initial applications is 22 percent, and approximately 63 percent of SSDI applications are denied. Understanding why these applications are not approved may help you be successful if you need to apply for benefits.

Leading Reasons That Disability Claims Are Denied

Each claim for SSDI benefits is different, but there are some common reasons that claims get rejected. It is important to keep in mind that just because a claim is denied does not mean that the person did not qualify for benefits. Many legitimate claims are not approved by the SSA. Here are some common leading reasons claims are often denied:

Lack of medical evidence. An applicant must have strong medical evidence documenting his disability and how this prevents him from working. Many applications are denied for lack of sufficient medical documentation of the disability.
Prior denials. Some people make the mistake of just filing a new application if their initial one is denied rather than filing an appeal. Unfortunately, this approach increases the likelihood that an application will not be approved.
Too much earnings. SSDI benefits are for people who are unable to work. If an applicant continues to work and earns too much money, this would make him ineligible for benefits. People can only earn a limited amount of wages when receiving these benefits. In addition, this is evidence that a person is not too disabled to work.
Failure to follow treatment advice. If an individual does not follow his doctor's advice on treatments for his disability or there are gaps in medical care, his application will most likely be denied. The SSA examiner would argue that it is not possible to determine whether the person is disabled if he is not receiving needed medical treatment.
Failure to cooperate. If a person ignores requests for additional information or otherwise fails to cooperate during the SSA's application process, his claim for SSDI will not be successful.

What You Can Do to Avoid a Denial of Your Application for SSDI

One way that you can increase the likelihood that your application for benefits will be accepted is not to make the mistakes listed above. A second vital way that you can strengthen your claim is to retain an experienced disability attorney as soon as possible. He can help you file your application, provide the SSA with the medical and other documentation they need, and represent you at a hearing if this is necessary. To learn how our skilled and dedicated legal team can assist you, start an online chat to schedule a free consultation today.