How Likely Are You to Get Approved for Social Security Benefits?
How likely are you to get approved for Social Security Benefits if you have a serious medical condition that you think might qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? For some very hard!
Social Security Turns Most People Down
It’s true, and as anyone who’s been through the process will tell you, it isn’t easy to get Social Security disability benefits. A survey, conducted by NOLO, backed up these statistics. According to the report, only about four in ten (42%) of their readers were ultimately approved for benefits.
Of course, the outcome for your individual claim will depend on whether you meet the medical and other eligibility requirements. Still, many people who sincerely believe they’re too disabled to work aren’t able to get benefits. Are there certain characteristics or circumstances that make some claims more likely than others to be approved? The NOLO survey confirmed what you might suspect: It’s easier to get benefits for some medical conditions than others. But the results also pointed to other, less-obvious factors that make a difference.
The strength of your medical evidence is critical for proving your claim. Clearly, you should see a doctor or other medical professional in order to create that evidence. One-third of their readers said they had not seen a doctor or other medical professional in the year before they applied for disability. Not surprisingly, those readers were much less likely to receive benefits (21%) that those who had seen a doctor (46%). If you don’t have a history of recent medical visits, you might be able to prove you had a good reason for not seeing a doctor (for instance, because you didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford it), but the odds are against you.
About half (51%) of their readers who applied for SSDI were ultimately approved for benefits, compared to just over a third (36%) of SSI applicants. Their survey pointed to several factors that could account for this difference in outcomes, including the fact that SSI applicants were less likely to hire a lawyer (35%, compared to 49% of SSDI applicants) and were more likely to be women (more on those factors below).
As stated in the NOLO article, applying for Social Security disability can be a complex, lengthy, and frustrating process—one that’s made even more difficult by the fact that you’re probably dealing with money problems along with your medical issues. But there is hope as well as strategies to tilt the odds in your favor: See a doctor if you can. Don’t give up if your application is denied at first. Do what you can to show that you tried to work but your disability stopped you. And call The Keener Law Firm!
The Keener Law Firm
If you are thinking about applying for SS benefits for the first time, or have been denied and are ready to re-file, The Keener Law Firm is here for you! Our disability team is the best in the business and are here to help you win your claim. For more information, call us today on 770-955-3000.