Denied Benefits - Social Security Disability Appeals

There are many people in the United States who, for one reason or another or even several, are unable to work and earn a reasonable living. When such circumstances arise, that person needs to look for any opportunity for help, and one of the preferred resources available is applying for either SSD or SSI benefits through the Social Security Administration.

The SSA serves the needs of many, but unfortunately, this agency needs to take every possible precaution to prevent against fraudulently-obtained payments. That’s why the process of obtaining benefits is arduous and time-consuming, and also why statistics show that the majority of applications for benefits are not approved.

Below you’ll find an overview of why benefits can be denied and the appeal rights that coincide with these denials. The best way to proceed no matter where you may be in your pursuit of benefits is to contact the Oklahoma law firm of Atkins & Markoff today to schedule an initial consultation.

Reasons for Denied Benefits

There are many reasons why an applicant could be denied benefits. Generally speaking, these denials can be categorized into ‘medical’ reasons and ‘non-medical’ reasons. In regards to medical reasons, the SSA may deny benefits because your condition is not one that will last long enough to qualify in general, your condition cannot be corroborated by a second medical care provider or you do not have a condition that prevents others from working.

These are obviously extremely general answers to the issue of denied benefits, but every denial rests upon the individual facts presented to the government when the application is filed, and you will be given an explanation if you request one. Basically, those making the decisions will likely look at your case from the standpoint of the likelihood of your ability to work in the future, and as said, the majority of the claims at the initial stages are denied.

There are also several non-medical reasons that are put forth as support for denied benefits. These could include such factors as a living situation, whereby the applicant lives with family members who can reasonably support the disabled party (which would likely be an SSI claim), where the applicant has not accrued enough work credits in recent years to justify full benefits and the possibility of other outlets for sustaining a lifestyle, such as the existence of supplemental medical insurance for a period of time.

Overall, the reasons for denied benefits in any of the SSA-funded programs are several in number, and many applicants who are denied at the initial, pre-hearing stages are left baffled as to why they have been denied benefits. This is why you need to work with a benefits lawyer from the Oklahoma law firm of Atkins & Markoff from the beginning of this process. You need answers all the way through the program, and you need to be sure that you are not overlooking what may seem like minute details that could actually make all the difference in your ultimate disposition.

Your Next Step, Contact Us

As you can see, the process of obtaining benefits from the SSA is difficult, but far from impossible. The best way to make sure that you’re building the strongest case possible is to contact an attorney at the Oklahoma law firm of Atkins & Markoff as soon as possible to get this process started.