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If you want to maximize your chances of getting Social Security disability benefits, it can help to know what the Social Security Administration (SSA) looks for when it evaluates Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applications. You do not want to fill out the form without knowing the required factors the SSA must see to make an award of disability benefits.
A Texas disability attorney can guide you through the application process and advocate for you if the SSA denies your request for disability benefits. A lawyer can also explain what is important for winning your Social Security disability case.
Residual Functional Capacity Evaluations Can Be Essential For Disability Benefits
You must convince the SSA that you have a severe medical condition that prevents you from supporting yourself through gainful employment before the government will start sending you monthly benefit checks. Even if you suffer from a significant illness or injury, the SSA needs to know that you no longer have enough functional ability to perform essential work-related tasks.
The easier you make it for the SSA to approve your application, the better. You might ask your regular doctor to perform a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) to document how your medical condition impairs your ability to function in the workplace.
Organize Your Medical Information
Evaluators do not like it when applicants make their jobs harder. Do the legwork and get all of the information the SSA requires so that they can get your medical records to evaluate your health condition.
You can either submit a copy of your medical records or provide the contact information of your healthcare providers and sign a release that authorizes your doctors to send a copy of your files to the SSA for evaluation. Regardless of which option you select, make sure that you provide the full and correct names, addresses, telephone numbers, and any other contact information the SSA wants.
The SSA will not do your work for you. If you do not give them the information they need to say “yes,” they will deny your application. You will then have to go through an appeals process that can delay your benefits for many months.
Fill in All of the Blanks
If you submit an application that is incomplete, you are almost guaranteed to get your request for benefits denied. While you might not think that the SSA needs to know so much personal information about you, things like your income, financial resources, job history, and citizenship are essential factors that the SSA uses to determine who is eligible for SSDI or SSI benefits and who does not qualify.
For example, if you applied for SSDI benefits but you do not provide your employment information, the SSA does not know if you earned enough work credits to be eligible for that type of disability benefit. If you apply for SSI but do not complete the application section about your assets, the SSA does not know if you meet the requirement of few financial resources.
The SSA will not search for the information they need. If you do not prove your case on the application, they can deny your request for disability benefits.
Jumping through all of these bureaucratic hoops can be a challenge, particularly if you live with a debilitating medical condition. You might want to work with a Texas disability attorney when seeking disability benefits. Contact our office today for a free consultation.