Unfortunately, many claims for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) get denied at the initial and reconsideration levels. While this can be frustrating, it is important that you do not let the denials stand if you are disabled and unable to work.
If you are disabled and unable to work due to physical or mental conditions and the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies your claim for disability benefits because they do not believe you are disabled under their rules, you should always appeal the SSDI or SSI denial.
However, there are some rules and restrictions that come along with filing an appeal of your SSDI or SSI denial. For one, you must file your appeal within sixty-five days (sixty days, plus an additional five days for mailing) of the date of the denial. The date of the denial is on the first page of the explanation, in the upper right corner. If you do not file your appeal within those 65 days, you will have to explain to SSA why your request is late, and they may deny your request. Such a denial would require that you begin your claim over from the beginning.
To file your appeal, you can certainly go to your local Social Security office and file the paperwork. You can also call the office and request that they mail the paperwork to you. However, one of the easiest ways to file an appeal is to do so online. When you file your appeal, you will want all of your doctor’s information, as well as your conditions and how they limit your daily activities. The link to file your appeal online is here.
If you would like assistance with filing your appeal, contact an experienced SSDI or SSI attorney today.