How Long Does It Take To Get Disability Approval Letter?
It’s impossible not to be overwhelmed by stress and anxiety waiting for approval of your application for disability benefits. When your only hope for relief from financial challenges created by being unable to work because of a disability, it helps to know the waiting period for disability approval and the start of benefits.
The disability lawyers at the Clauson Law Firm, PLLC, know the frustrations confronting those needing Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income benefits. This blog explains the process your application goes through after it’s submitted to the Social Security Administration and how it affects the disability approval letter timeframe. It also tips for shortening the time and improving your chances of approval of your claim for benefits.
Disability Claim Approval Duration
According to the Social Security Administration, it takes six to eight months to complete the processing of disability applications. Several factors affect how long for disability approval letters to be sent, including:
- Completeness of the application: An application containing errors or omitting essential information results in delays while an applicant is contacted to provide the missing or erroneous information.
- Request for a medical examination: If the application review process reveals a need for a medical examination, it takes time for it to be scheduled and completed.
- Request for medical records: Medical professionals and facilities that furnished care to an application may be asked to provide copies of medical records. This can delay the processing time, especially when there is a delay in responding to the request.
Where an applicant for disability lives may affect how long it takes to process their application for disability benefits. This is because state agencies handle part of the review process, so the size of a state’s population and staffing to keep up with the volume of applications can affect how long it takes to be approved for benefits.
When you apply for disability benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs, the review process begins at a Social Security Administration field office. It continues at a Disability Determination Services (DDS) office in your state.
The federal government funds DDS offices through the Social Security Administration, but they operate as state agencies. For example, the DDS office in North Carolina is a division of the NC Department of Health and Human Services that processes claims for SSDI, SSI, and Medicaid.
What Is The Disability Evaluation Process?
Applications for SSDI and SSI disability benefits undergo a review process determining whether they meet the non-medical and medical eligibility requirements. It is not a quick process and accounts for why people complain about the time to receive disability approval.
When you apply for disability benefits, the application Social Security field office initially reviews it to determine if you meet the non-medical requirements for approval. The non-medical requirement for SSDI is a work history at jobs or through self-employment with Social Security taxes paid on your wages or self-employment income.
You must have worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes to be eligible for SSDI. A disability lawyer checks your work record before you apply for disability benefits to ensure that it fulfills the requirements for SSDI eligibility.
Sometimes, an applicant believes their work history meets the requirements only to have their claim denied because they worked at jobs where their earnings were not subject to payment of Social Security taxes. Social Security taxes may not have been withheld from your pay if you worked for the following:
- Federal, state, or local government agencies.
- A nonprofit organization that does not withhold taxes from employee pay.
- Foreign employers where you worked in another country.
Even though you worked for an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes from your paycheck, you may have paid the taxes on your own. For example, if you earn more than $100 per year working for a religious organization that does not withhold taxes, federal law requires that you pay them on your federal income tax return and pay taxes in the same manner as self-employment income.
The non-medical requirements to qualify for SSI benefits do not include a work history. Instead, you must have little or no income and resources or assets valued at no more than $2,000 as an individual and $3,000 if you and a spouse are eligible for benefits.
As part of the evaluation process for the SSI program, the field office verifies that you meet citizenship and residence requirements. To receive SSI disability benefits, you must be a United States citizen or national. The Department of Homeland Security may grant some classifications of aliens eligibility status.
According to the Social Security Administration, the field office review of an application takes about 19 days to complete. If you do not meet the non-medical eligibility criteria, you will receive a written denial, including the reason or reasons for the decision. If the field office review determines that your application for SSDI or SSI meets basic non-medical requirements for eligibility, it is passed on to the Disability Determination Services agency in your state.
Medical Review To Determine Eligibility For Disability Benefits
When the Disability Determination Services agency in your state receives an application, it is assigned to a disability examiner. The examiner reviews the application to determine if you meet the medical requirements to qualify for disability benefits. DDS must be satisfied that the medical documentation confirms that you are disabled according to the definition the Social Security Administration must use when approving claims for disability benefits.
DDS typically relies on your medical records and healthcare providers. However, DDS can arrange a consultive examination if your medical records are unavailable or if examiners want additional medical support for your claim. Your medical providers or an independent medical professional may conduct consultive examinations.
Once the DDS has all the medical documentation it needs, a team consisting of the disability examiner and a medical or psychological consultant determines if you meet the federal definition of disabled. If the team cannot reach a decision with the evidence available, additional information may be requested from your medical providers or the providers who conducted a consultive examination.
The DDS returns the claim to the field office. The field office sends you a letter of approval or denial based on the findings of the DDS. The Social Security Administration estimates the disability approval letter timeframe to be six to eight months from the submission of an application.
Appealing A Denial Of Benefits
A denial of benefits is frustrating, but it need not end your efforts to get financial assistance through SSDI and SSI benefits. You have 60 days to appeal a denial of benefits through an appeal process that includes the following four levels:
- Reconsideration: When you request reconsideration of your claim, it goes to a new DSS team of disability examiners and consultants for review. The Social Security Administration estimates the average time for a decision as one to six months.
- Hearing with an administrative law judge: A denial after reconsideration can be appealed within 60 days to an administrative law judge who conducts a hearing. According to the Social Security Administration, it could take as long as 450 days to receive a decision after the hearing.
- Appeals Council Review: You have 60 days to request a review by an Appeals Council of a denial of benefits by an administrative law judge. How long it takes for a decision depends on the volume of claims.
The final level of appeal is a civil action in a United States District Court. The time it takes for a decision from a federal judge depends, in part, on the volume of cases, but a disability lawyer at Clauson Law will discuss what’s involved with a federal court appeal and the estimated time until a decision. The good news about appeals is that you may not need to go through all levels of the appeal process if you are granted benefits at any of them.
Tips To Shorten The Time To Receive Disability Approval
Steps you can take to shorten the disability claim approval duration include:
- Check the application for errors and omissions.
- Respond quickly to requests from the Social Security Administration for information or documents for a pending claim.
- Make sure your medical records are current and complete.
- Submit medical records with your application or alert your medical providers to promptly respond to requests from Social Security for copies of your records.
- Social Security can authorize payment to people in dire need of financial assistance to pay for food, shelter, and medical care while a denial of benefits is being appealed. Ask your disability lawyer to submit a letter to the Social Security Administration explaining your need for financial assistance.
If you move after submitting a claim for SSI and SSDI benefits, immediately notify the Social Security Administration of your new address to avoid not receiving requests related to your claim.
Let The Outstanding Disability Lawyers At Clauson Law Handle Your Claim
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by complicated regulations and frustrating procedures confronting you trying to get Social Security disability benefits. “We fight for our clients” is more than a slogan at the Clauson Law Firm. It’s what we do for everyone we represent. Find out how our disability lawyers can make a difference by contacting us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
