Get A Lawyer - Social Security Disability Is Not Easy To Get

Bryan Greenberg Social Security Disability

The United States has always had a more independent mindset when it comes to life. Our history of colonization, homesteading, and business has always put self-sufficiency at the forefront of American success. However, that doesn't mean that when things go wrong, people can't get help. The government also understands that sometimes things happen to people through no fault of their own. They should not be expected to answer for a crisis that wasn't of their own making.

Social security disability is one way that the government can intervene to help people recover from incidents they have been victimized by. However, that doesn't mean that it is fast or easy to get. Here's why.

What Is Social Security Disability?

As you may have already gathered from the na>me, it is a type of financial aid given to people who are medically diagnosed to be disabled. Florida's government does not have any state programs for short term disability funding, so all social security disability insurance, or SSDI, comes from the Federal government.

To qualify for SSDI, an applicant must have worked and paid taxes to the Social Security Association while working. If there is no previous employment history and no records of taxes being paid to the SSA, no application for SSDI will even be considered.

How Does Social Security Disability Insurance Work?

If you have been working long enough, paying taxes to the SSA, and your work history is recent enough, you may qualify for SSDI. However, the key is that you have been victimized by an injury that is medically diagnosed as crippling and leaves you unable to return to your previous job.

If you meet these basic requirements, then you can apply for SSDI. In Florida, this can be done one of three ways.

In-Person

There are many offices throughout the state that both dispense and accept application forms. If you live in Sarasota or Charlotte Counties, for example, you would find the offices here.

By Telephone

For people who may not be able to reach a physical location and are not technically inclined, applications and questions can also be submitted through telephone.

Online

Finally, for those with an average degree of computer literacy, applications can also be filled and submitted online. This is probably the most convenient of the three methods.

Success Is Not Assured

Unfortunately, paying taxes to the SSA, working honestly, and submitting an application after an injury does not guarantee that SSDI will be paid out. When it comes to applying for SSDI, especially for first-timers, the odds are not in your favor.

The state average for approval of SSDI in Florida is only about 56%. That approval rate fluctuates a lot based on where the application is submitted. Miami, for example, has the highest approval rate in the state at about 59%. Meanwhile, Jacksonville has the lowest approval rate in the state, with only 38% of applications getting fully approved.

It's also important to note that applications don't have binary results. Applicants aren't just fully rejected or fully approved for the full amount of money. Partially favorable rulings can also be made where applicants get approval for a submission, but not as much as they had applied for.

Why It's Hard

The average applicant for SSDI may not get approved the first time. In fact, the national average for denial of first-timers is approximately 70%. Although inexperience is often the leading cause, there are several reasons for this as an application may not have the information required for proper evaluation and approval. Here are a few of the leading reasons for rejection.

Inadequate Medical Documentation

One of the primary reasons first-time applications get rejected is that the medical proof required for an approval is either not present or insufficient. For example, someone who sustains a back injury and presents a medical record with a back injury diagnosis will not get approved on that alone.

The diagnosis must specify that a person is no longer suited to work than before. Medical proof of a sore back is not the same as a doctor's statement that the back injury is so severe work is no longer feasible.

Not Following Treatment

Another reason for denial is people failing to follow medical orders. If someone applies for SSDI but presents medical proof of how to recover and has ignored medical guidance, this often results in denial. There is a possibility that had the applicant followed orders; the disability might not be as severe.

Get Help

Even when you've followed all of these suggestions, you may still be turned down. If that happens, talk to a social security disability lawyer. An experienced lawyer can go over the application and help with an appeal or reapplication to get the initial decision overturned.