Tips for Getting Your Social Security Disability Benefits

When most people think about Social Security, they automatically think about old age and retirement benefits. What they fail to realize is that Social Security pays many other benefits, and one of the main ones is disability. This article will give us all of the details.

Most people already know that the process required to up obtain their disability benefits can be a long and drawn out process. There are normally five stages to the process. The first two are really quite easy, and can be performed by the claimant. The last three stages can be somewhat complicated, and it is recommended that you hire an Attorney to complete them.

According to the Social Security Act, the definition of the word disability is the inability to do any type of gainful activity due to a medical, physical, or mental impairment, which is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. The claimant must be able to produce medical evidence to support that they really do have a disabling condition. The Social Security Administration will then give consideration to the combined effects of a claimant's disabilities.

In order to get the process started, you will need a statement from your Doctor stating that you are disabled and can no longer work due to a disability. After that, you will then be ready to go on to the first stage, which is the application process. In order to get your application, you will have to call your local Social Security office. You should attach any supporting medical records to your application.

If the Social Security Administration turns down your application, the next stage that you will go to is called the consideration stage. This is a stage where you are basically asked why you believe that benefit should be granted to you.

If they decide to turn you down at the Reconsideration stage, you will move on to stage three. This process will allow you to schedule a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. This is normally the only "hearing" in the entire process, and any subsequent appeals that you make are going to be based upon this hearing, so make sure that you get all the evidence in your favor "on the record". More than likely this will also be the point where you will want to have an Attorney on hand.

If the Administrative Law Judge should decide to deny you benefits, you would then apply for an Appeals Council Review by the Social Security Administration. This is almost the same as the reconsideration stage. If you are denied your benefits at this stage, you would then move on to the final stage, which is going to court. During this stage you will be given the opportunity to sue the Department of Health & Human Services in Federal Court in a final attempt to obtain your benefits.

Any Attorney fees that you have accumulated up to this point will not have to be paid until your claim is actually awarded to you. Any fees that your Attorney decides to charge you will also need to be approved by the Social Security Administration as well as the Federal Court System.

Most people will agree that this is a very lengthy and time-consuming process however; you should not give up on your benefits if you really feel that you qualify to receive them. If in doubt, do not hesitate to contact the Social Security Administration, or an Attorney in your local area.