Why Did I Get Denied Social Security Disability Benefits?
Published on August 20th, 2021 by Eric Slepian
Getting approved for social security benefits can be a very tricky, confusing process- especially if you are submitting your application without professional guidance. Even if you’re confident about getting approved, you may still end up getting denied for reasons you didn’t anticipate. Following are some common reasons why your request was rejected.
Too High of Income
To be approved for SSDI benefits, your income must be below a certain threshold, which is also known as substantial gainful activity (SGA). This is because to be considered disabled, you must not be able to earn a substantial enough income. The SGA in Arizona in 2021 is $1,310 per month.
Disability Won’t Last Long Enough
In order to receive SSI or SSDI benefits, you must prove to the Social Security Administration that your disability will greatly impact you for at least 12 months or be the cause of your death. Being blind is the one exception to this rule.
Although seemingly straightforward, proving that your disability is severe enough or will last long enough to receive benefits can be very hard. If the SSA doesn’t believe that your disability is debilitating enough or is only a temporary issue, they won’t grant you benefits. For example, if you broke a bone that’s expected to heal within three months and have no evidence to prove it will disable you for at least a year, there’s a good chance you won’t be granted benefits.
Not Working With the SSA
The Social Security Administration are the ones who will grant or deny your disability. It’s therefore vital that you cooperate with them as much as possible to grant them as much information as you can to prove your case. The more helpful medical evidence they have to show that your disability is severe and persistent, the more likely your request is likely to be granted. If they request any forms, medical records, or information that you deny them, there is a good chance your request for benefits will be denied.
Not Complying With Doctor’s Orders
Generally, if a doctor prescribes specific treatment for you, but the SSA has evidence that you have not followed through with the treatment, you’ll most likely be denied benefits.
If the SSA finds that you have acceptable excuses for not following through with the doctor’s orders, you may be exempt from this rule. Some of these acceptable reasons include having a mental illness so bad that you can’t complete the therapy, you have an extreme fear of surgery or invasive procedures, you’re unable to perform the tasks because of a disability, don’t have the money to pay for the treatments, or another doctor disagrees with said treatments.
Contact Us Today
If you want to get approved for Social Security disability benefits, working with a skilled social security disability lawyer will give you the highest chances. The SSDI system and appeals process are extremely particular and if you were already denied benefits once, there are certain areas of your application or process that could be improved.
Our Social Security disability attorneys in Scottsdale, AZ will work with you to put the most convincing as possible case together for the SSA. If you want to feel confident about getting your well-deserved SSDI benefits approved, don’t wait to contact us.
