Knowing if You Have a Strong Social Security Disability Claim
Being unable to work because of poor health opens a canyon of anxiety in your life.
Applying for Social Security Disability benefits puts the possibility of relief on the horizon. But the process between getting sick and getting that first monthly benefits check takes a long time.
Social Security takes months to evaluate a disability benefits application. In the meantime, you can’t help but wonder what are the signs that you might be approved for disability benefits.
On this page, we’ll share the elements that mean you have a strong claim for Social Security Disability. The Slepian Ellexson disability lawyers have been helping Arizonans get the benefits they need since 1978.
Even with a strong case, you may be denied disability benefits and need to appeal. That could be because you need more or better documentation or technical details better filled out.
But if you meet the below qualifications for Social Security Disability and can prove it, you should have a good chance of winning benefits.
From applying to appealing, our disability attorneys know what Social Security wants to see, how they want to see it, and what you need to get to a more financially stable place so you can focus on managing your health.
Will I Be Approved for Disability? The Groundwork for a Strong Claim
While you wait for a decision from Social Security, you can evaluate the strength of your case to get an idea where you might stand.
Your work history, your specific condition, even your age can all play a part in the decision to award you disability benefits. Some good signs your case is heading in the right direction include:
You paid Social Security taxes. The monthly payments you’ll receive are based partly on how much you paid into Social Security during the years you worked. Generally, you need 40 credits to be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), although younger workers can qualify with fewer. You receive one credit for every $1,810 you earn at your job – up to four credits every year.
Your medical condition is “severe.” You must show that your condition interferes with your ability to work. Under Social Security’s definition, the expectation is you can’t work for at least 12 months, or the nature of your condition is that it will last the rest of your life or eventually be fatal. If that’s the case and you have the evidence to prove it, your health problems are severe enough to qualify.
You can’t do any other job. Social Security will look at your work history and training and decide whether they think you can do a less strenuous job with your condition. If you can’t and you can show that, your claim has a better chance of success.
Your condition is in the Social Security “blue book.” Social Security has a list of qualified impairments, and if your diagnosis clearly aligns with one of these, then your claim will be more clear-cut. Don’t lose hope if it doesn’t: Social Security will consider your individual symptoms’ impact on your “residual functional capacity”—your overall inability to manage daily functions—which may still qualify you for benefits.
You maintained your treatment plan. If you take your medications on time and on schedule, stick with therapy schedules, show up for all appointments, complain about your symptoms and how they affect you, and you do all you can to manage your condition—but still don’t show enough improvement to be able to work—Social Security sees that as additional proof you qualify for disability benefits.
You’re over 50. Age plays a role in Social Security’s evaluation of your situation. Younger applicants will have a tougher time proving that they can’t do their job or switch to another job. Once you reach 50, Social Security factors in the challenge of adjusting to new work as an older adult.
You got an experienced disability lawyer. Having a knowledgeable professional who understands the ins and outs of how the Social Security Disability system runs in Arizona is an advantage toward seeing your case end with a monthly benefits check.
You pay no fee for a disability attorney until you are approved for benefits.
In Arizona, you can get Slepian Ellexson to guide you. You will get the personal attention that you should in a time like this. It’s free to have a conversation with us about your chances of getting approved for disability benefits, and what you need to do.
Get a FREE disability claim evaluation.
How to Tell if Social Security Disability Might Deny You
While seeing the signs that you will be approved for disability benefits can bring comfort as you go through this complicated process, it’s important to look out for weaknesses in your disability benefits claim, too.
These include:
An incomplete application: Applications get denied for failure to fill out the right forms, leaving a section blank, or putting in the wrong information. It’s a challenge to know whether you’re following Social Security’s thousands of rules and procedures correctly—which makes having a skilled Arizona disability lawyer valuable.
Missed deadlines: Communication is key to a successful process. If Social Security asks for follow-up information and you miss the window to respond, that can damage your case and lead to denial.
Too much work income: Social Security Disability benefits are meant to stabilize your life financially after an illness or impairment has gutted your ability to earn a living. If you can still earn money from work and it’s more than a certain amount set by Social Security every year, then you are participating in what they call “substantial gainful activity” and are ineligible for benefits.
Too little work history: If you didn’t pay enough into Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), your chances of receiving benefits from that program are diminished. Social Security has another program for people who haven’t worked for a while or ever, or never earned enough money to qualify for SSDI: it’s called Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and it may be the right path for you.
Navigating Social Security Disability is a challenge. Knowing you did everything you could to get approved for disability benefits isn’t easy. Having a skilled Arizona disability lawyer who can answer your questions and help you make the right decisions makes it easier.
At Slepian Ellexson, we pride ourselves on smoothing the path to a more peaceful life for people suffering from debilitating conditions.
