Can I avoid or minimize long wait times for SSDI benefits?
Published on November 13th, 2017 by Eric Slepian
Hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. are currently waiting to learn if the Social Security Administration will approve or deny their applications for disability benefits. This is a massive backlog that can be incredibly frustrating for the disabled applicants who deserve and need financial support.
As frustrating as these long wait times can be, they are unavoidable for many people. However, there are some ways you can shorten your wait time and/or prevent unnecessary delays in the process.
Compassionate Allowances conditions
If you have a condition on the SSA’s list of Compassionate Allowances, then you qualify for expedited attention for your claim. These conditions are very serious and obviously meet the standards for benefits. Once identified, your claim can be pushed through the system faster so that you can receive benefits more quickly.
Ensure you qualify for benefits
Applying for benefits for which you may not be eligible can waste time and money. As such, it can be crucial that you ensure you meet the qualifications for SSDI before applying. Have you worked long enough and recently enough to fulfill earnings requirements? Is your condition disabling and expected to last at least one year?
If you do not qualify for these benefits, then it would be wise to avoid this application process altogether and instead pursue other benefits for which you might be eligible, like Supplemental Security Income.
Submit a complete application
The SSA denies or delays many SSDI applications because of simple, avoidable mistakes or oversights on the application. Because SSA representatives are dealing with such a massive backlog of applications, they likely will not take extra time to investigate any inconsistencies or missing information; they will simply deny the claim. Because of this, submitting a complete and accurate application is crucial.
Seek legal counsel
Many people seeking disability benefits have never navigated the complex Social Security system before. This can lead to costly mistakes and missteps that delay or jeopardize benefits. To avoid these unfortunate situations, it can be wise to discuss your claim and your application with an attorney who has the knowledge and experience you do not.