Lesson 7: Applying for disability

Success or Failure: Now What?

Remember the statistics? If you get turned down, don't give up. Appeal. And do it fast. It seems that disability claims people work on the assumption that you'll get tired and give up - and many do. But if you don't file an appeal within 60 days you may as well give up. If you do, and are still turned down you still have options.

1. You can ask for a hearing by an administrative law judge. These are successful more than half of the time.
2. If the decision goes against you, there is still an Appeals Council you can appear before.
3. Finally, you can get a Federal Court review of your case.

Even private insurance companies have an appeals process. This is where an attorney specializing in disability claims can be invaluable.

If, after all of this is finished, you succeed you are still not home free. The company granting your claim will want to review that claim periodically to make sure that you are still unable to work. Again, you have the right to see your own doctors for this determination. But do save all your medical records in the interim and continue to document persistent disability. And make sure you continue to see your doctors regularly if only to check in - they want you to be under regular medical care. Often we don't need such regular care as there may not be much the doctor can do beside renew prescriptions. Go anyway, or you'll lose your benefits.

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