Due to the fact that the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies the majority of disability claims, applicants must follow a four-step appeals process in order to receive financial support. Social Security disability reconsideration is the first step in the appeals procedure. If your disability claim was refused, you should get familiar with the disability reconsideration process.

Reconsideration, as the initial step following a Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) denial, proceeds in the same manner as the initial SSDI claim. You appeal to the same SSA medical review panel that conducted the initial review of your application. The primary distinction between the first claim and the disability reconsideration appeal is that the SSA assigns different members of its medical review panel to evaluate your disability appeal.

As with the first application, the Social Security Administration refuses the majority of disability reconsideration appeals. By following a few simple guidelines, you can significantly increase your chances of having your initial SSDI denial reversed at the first step of the appeals process.

1. Maintain Accurate Paperwork

The first advice for successfully appealing a disability review is to file the proper paperwork. To have your appeal assessed by the SSA, you must submit the following three forms.

Form SSA-561: Reconsideration Request

Report on Disability Reconsideration

Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration

The Reconsideration Report is the document that contains fresh information about your initial claim, whereas the Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration is a medical release form.

2. Submit Additional Corroboration

The SSA refuses SSDI claims for a variety of reasons, one of which being a lack of evidence. Providing additional data to the SSA during the disability reconsideration process is critical to obtaining approval of your appeal. Without additional medical proof, Disability Determination Services (DDS) cannot overrule the initial SSDI denial. Additionally, you should ensure that DDS has access to all of your medical records, which your physician makes available through online document uploading.

3. Submit Your Appeal in a Timely Manner

If you get a denial letter from the Social Security Administration for SSDI benefits, you have 60 days from the date mentioned on the denial letter to file a disability appeal. If you do not file for reconsideration within the 60-day period, you will have to restart the SSDI claim procedure. The 60-day deadline for filing a disability reconsideration appeal does not mean you should submit the proper papers on day 59. The quicker you file a disability appeal, the sooner the Social Security Administration will make a decision on your claim.

Acting quickly increases your chances of having your appeal approved by the Social Security Administration.

4. Consult a Social Security lawyer

Due to the fact that a reconsideration appeal follows the same review process as an initial SSDI claim, your odds of having your disability appeal approved by the SSA are slim. Indeed, according to a study provided by the Social Security Administration, the government refused 87% of all claims heard during the initial stage of the appeals procedure in 2018. Hiring a state-licensed Social Security attorney is one of the most efficient strategies to increase your chances during reconsideration.

Your attorney will understand how to bolster your case by submitting more persuasive documentation from both your physician and employer. Additionally, hiring a lawyer guarantees that you petition for reconsideration well in advance of the 60-day deadline.

To increase your chances of winning a disability appeal, schedule a free case evaluation with a Social Security attorney now.