In the United States of America, it is supposed to be true that if you work hard and pay your taxes, you will be taken care of if you are injured or become ill to the point that you cannot work. Unfortunately, this is often made difficult due to complications and delays in approval for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
If you have had a hard time getting your benefits approved, we would like to remind you of three things. Remember that there are people on our side – and The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker is certainly on your side as you deal with this complex situation.
- You Earned the Benefits
- Do Not Get Discouraged
- Do Not Be Afraid to Ask for Help
SSDI should be simple: You paid into it via payroll tax throughout your working life. You have now become disabled and need to use the benefits you have paid for. You should receive monthly insurance benefits for as long as that disability lasts. The entire reason it exists is to help people in your exact situation. No matter how it may feel, you are not asking for a handout – you are asking to be provided with a benefit you have earned.
Some people get so discouraged by the process of filing for these benefits that they give up. Do not do this. Know that it is common for applications to be initially rejected. It is impossible to get conclusive data, because the numbers aren’t released, but an accepted estimate is that 60% of all people who apply are initially denied. These people all have the right to appeal but an estimated 85% of appeals are also rejected.
It takes a long time to get the application processed in the first place. If it is rejected, the appeal process can take even longer. A study by USA Today found that in 2018, the average time to wait for an appeal was 540 days – and the Social Security Administration says this is faster than it was in the past. With stats like these, it is easy to see why a person would want to give up. Don’t. There is help out there for you.
The truth of the matter is that applications are often rejected due to mistakes that were simple and easily preventable. For example, if you filled in the information incorrectly, did not include all of the required documents, or missed a filing deadline, you could get an automatic rejection. The good news is that there are SSDI attorneys out there with a wealth of experience helping people like you get access to what you are owed.
