Millions of people choose to apply for social security disability benefits every single year and while they choose to apply, they don’t choose the circumstances that get them there in the first place. No one wants to be in a position where someone else has to dictate whether they are eligible enough – or sick enough – to receive help when they need it. In fact, it’s actually something that people refuse to do because they want to maintain their own future. Being on long term disability may feel like the easy way for some, but it’s not when you’re actually in it.

You may have to consider that a claim you make could be denied. There are long-term disability & ERISA litigators out there who assess claims closely and if you are worrying that your claim could be turned down, then you have to think about whether you have done everything correctly. So, why might you be denied disability?

Let’s take a look below:

  1. There’s not enough evidence. You have sent in everything you thought you could send in and yet there’s not enough medical evidence to say yes to your claim. You need to have medical notes and records that can show that your disability has interfered with your ability to perform your job. When you do that, you can back up your claims and prove that your disability is debilitating enough.
  2. You have been denied before. Often, if you have had a prior disability claim on record that has been refused, you’re more likely to be denied this time. It’s not a good idea to just make a new claim; you need to appeal a denial. Too many claims makes your legitimate one look less than legitimate!
  3. Your income is a problem. If you’re applying for SSI benefits you might find that your income is an issue. You can work part time and earn money but if you’re earning over a certain threshold you might have a deniable claim and that can be a problem.
  4. You don’t follow your treatment plan. You are given a treatment plan and you didn’t follow it, which means that the social security administration will deny your claim on those grounds. The examiner cannot determine how your condition affects you if you don’t have the assessment done and you don’t follow the treatment plan in the first place. 
  5. You aren’t cooperating. It doesn’t matter how you feel about the process, or whether you get frustrated by it, you have to play everything by the book. You have to remember that it’s within your best interests to cooperate so that you can get the money you need to support your life. If you don’t provide the social security administration with the right documentation, or you don’t go to the medical exams that they schedule for you, it’s going to result in a denied claim.

You want to make life as easy as possible and that means ensuring that you follow everything to the letter.