What are your rights after a SSD denial?

When life brings about a difficult situation, one likely has many questions. Whether its because of an accident or an illness, suffering from a disability can impact a person’s life in many way. Not only must an individual adapt his or her life but one must also find ways to address the growing financial issues associated with this situation. A disability can mean the inability to work. And when that occurs, a disabled individual may apply for Social Security disability benefits. Unfortunately, many initial applications are denied, making it vital to explore potential appeal options.

What are your rights after a SSD denial? A denial is not the end of the road for those seeking SSD benefits. While it might be discouraging to receive such news, one should note what they can do after such a decision is made. To begin, an applicant should understand that there are four levels of the appeals process, which means that they have four attempts to get his or her application approved.

The first level is reconsideration. If this is a step one wants to take, he or she has 60 days from receiving a letter of decision to file for reconsideration. If this is not completed in this timeframe, one is unable to appeal a denial. At each level of appeal, an applicant is providing more information that could help prove eligibility. This can be in the form of documentation, medical records and even witnesses and expert statements.

When an unfavorable decision is made at reconsideration, the next level of appeal is a hearing. If this level does not produce a favorable result, an applicant can then request an appeals court review. The final appeal step an applicant can take is taking the matter to federal court. A this point, if a favorable result is not obtained at this level, an applicant has exhausted all of her options for appeal.

When an individual needs financial assistance because of a disability, getting a denied decision for a SSD application can be very troublesome. Nonetheless, applicants should note their rights and options as they relate to appealing this decision. It could help them obtain these necessary benefits.

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