Obtaining necessary Social Security Disability benefits can be a very complicated and frustrating process for injured employees already suffering with the loss of their ability to work or other physical and emotional pains. Some applicants have found that the process has gotten even more difficult.
If you are an injured employee, there are a few ways to make the process seem less daunting, to ensure that you get the Social Security Disability benefits that you badly need.
The first step is to GET HELP. There is nothing better that you can do than find an experienced attorney who knows all of the “ins and outs” of the program, the process and the changes that occur on a daily basis. It is important that you do this as quickly as possible because your actions between being injured and filing for disability benefits could have an effect on the outcome of your case.
The second thing that you can do to make the process go more smoothly, is to locate and obtain your accurate and up-to-date medical records along with any documents related to your medical history. Part of the problem in several cases where benefits are denied is due to incomplete records. A Disability Examiner makes a decision based on the information they have in front of them, and they may not be able to make an accurate determination without all of the information. It will also help avoid delays in your filing process.
Lastly, make sure that you pass along any notices for anything to do with the filing process to your attorney immediately so that they may respond in a timely manner to effectively represent your rights.
Source: The Atom Stack Tribune “Social security Disability Claims Getting Harder, Here’s Some Tips” Mark Johnson 1/18/11