4 Reasons You May Be Denied Benefits – and How a Lawyer Can Help
Many people have disabling medical conditions that keep them from working and rely on Social Security benefits to cover their expenses and pay their bills. However, only an average of 34 percent of disability benefit claims are approved each year, so many people receive denials of their claims for a variety of reasons. The following are only four examples of common reasons for benefit denials.
1. Insufficient medical evidence of your disability – To qualify for benefits, you must provide evidence that you have a disability that prevents you from working. While you may believe your medical records will suffice, those records may not include details about how your condition affects your day-to-day life. Your records may detail your back injury but may have no information about how that injury restricts your ability to work. Make sure you discuss the effects of your condition with your physician to ensure they include this information in your records. Also collect and keep all information regarding doctor appointments, medications, and other treatment to demonstrate the severity of your injury.
2. You can work – The Social Security Administration (SSA) can deny your claim if they believe you can still perform your usual work or can perform different work. Even if you only work part-time, you may earn more than is allowed to receive benefits. If the SSA examiner learns you are involved in substantial gainful activity, they will likely assume you are not disabled enough to qualify for benefits.
3. Incomplete claim forms – A Social Security disability benefits claim involves mountains of forms and supporting documents. However, you must fully and accurately complete all required paperwork, or you risk a claim denial.
4. Lack of cooperation – If you want to receive benefits, the SSA expects you to cooperate with your doctors and any requests by the SSA. You may be denied if you fail to follow through with all prescribed treatment and therapy or if the SSA requests documents and you fail to provide them. If the SSA schedules a third-party medical exam and you do not show up, you can expect a denial.
The SSA claim process can be more complicated than you imagine, and every step can affect the outcome of your claim. An experienced Social Security disability attorney can help you prepare your claim, advise you regarding your actions during the claim process, and ensure that you have done everything possible to increase your chances of qualifying for benefits.Contact an Experienced California Social Security Lawyer for Help Today
It is important to realize that the above are only some of the many possible reasons for a denial of disability benefits. Do not let a mistake on your paperwork or a missed appointment result in significant delays or denials. Instead, let a skilled Orange County Social Security attorney at Kenneth G. Marks Law Firm handle your claim and guide you through every step of the process. Please call 949-288-4863 or send us an email to schedule your free consultation.