Disability Applications Denied?

Many people want to be able to receive disability aid from the government. In fact, there are tons that have a disability hearing each and every day to try and get approved for disability aid from Uncle Sam. Most of those who are applying for disability probably have a legitimate reason for needing aid, whether it’s because of unemployment, marital status, or their age.

But the majority of applications actually do get denied. The national average is 23% of initial applications are approved. Many of the people who really need disability are wondering what they can do to increase their chances of getting an approved application. A lot of factors could help someone have a better chance of getting approved, but another question people are facing is why disability applications get denied in the first place.

Why Do Disability Applications Get Denied?

Insufficient Medical Reasons

The biggest reason why applications for disability get denied is that the person applying for disability didn’t have good enough medical reasons to be able to receive the benefits or didn’t have all of their medical documentation submitted. There may be a serious disability that meets the government rule or “listing” but, if the medical evidence isn’t there to support it, it will be denied. Making sure the government knows all the medical providers you’ve seen and also the correct time periods that you have seen them are critical.  If the government doesn’t know about them, they can’t use them to help make a determination.

Earning Too Much

Some people just make too much money to qualify for receiving benefits from Uncle Sam. If you are working full time, the government views this as “not-disabled”. The tricky part is what is considered full time or “substantial gainful activity” (SGA for short), according to the government. Social Security updates the monthly limit every year, so check the current amount before you rely on it. If your earnings go over that limit, you will more than likely be denied. It really puts people in between a rock and a hard place.

This can be a real hindrance for people who find themselves barely making more than what would qualify them to be able to receive benefits. However, this is what the DDS does to help make sure that those who receive benefits are the ones that need it the most.

Drug or Alcohol Abuse

It is a shame when those who receive disability aid use it to abuse drugs or alcohol. This is virtually inevitable to take place to some degree, but the DDS and SSA do their best to prevent government aid going to support a drug habit. This is another one of the reasons why some get denied disability.  If you are doing illegal drugs, you need to stop if you want any chance of being awarded benefits. Make sure you tell your doctors that you have stopped and that it is in your medical notes. Ask the doctor for a drug test so you can establish a date of sobriety.  Some judges are really sensitive to this issue and will deny benefits for this reason alone without looking at any other evidence it seems. Don’t give them any reason to doubt your credibility!

Short-Term Disability

Disability benefits are designed to help people who have or will have long-term disabilities.  The government defines this as 12 months or longer. Although you may be completely disabled for months on end, if it does not total 12 months or is anticipated to last 12 months, you will very likely get denied! There is an obvious exception to this rule… if you, unfortunately, have a terminal illness; we can fast track your case.  Well, as fast as the government will go.

Not Following a Doctor’s Orders

It is imperative that those who want disability follow their doctor’s instructions exactly if they want to be able to receive benefits. Not doing what one was told by their doctor makes a case an easy “disapprove” by a disability judge at a hearing.

Technical Denials

Does Social Security Automatically Deny First Applications?

No. Many claims are denied at the first level, but Social Security does not automatically deny first-time applicants. A denial usually comes down to the evidence, your work activity, or a missed step in the process.

What to Do After a Denial

You generally have 60 days from receiving the notice to appeal, so act quickly. The first step is usually reconsideration. If that is denied, you can request a hearing before an administrative law judge. Before you appeal, make sure your medical records are complete and current and that every provider is listed.

After you apply for disability, you more than likely will get mail from the government for additional information or to notify you to go to a doctors appointment.  If you don’t fill out the paperwork or go to the doctors’ appointment, they will more than likely deny your claim.  It’s called a “technical denial” and it happens more than we’d like to see.  If you need help or would just like someone to review your paperwork before you send it back, your lawyer or case manager should be willing to take 3 – 5 minutes and review it for you.

There are too many more reasons why someone would not get their disability application to discuss them all, but these are some of the most common ones. Those who are wanting to get their application approved would do well to look over this list to make sure that none of the factors here apply to them.