While we receive many different questions about Social Security at our disability law office, by far the most common is also the most expected: how can I make my claim go faster? Applying for disability benefits is, by its very nature, a long process that can take anywhere from six months to three years to complete. Looking for a way to speed the process up is understandable, but it is important that applicants be aware of the realities of the Social Security system.
Unfortunately, the Social Security Administration must treat its applicants as equals, and most applications are viewed on a level playing field. It is important for applicants to remember that almost all their fellow disability benefits seekers are dealing with financial difficulties, and everyone can, at one point or another, become frustrated with the wait time inherent to the program. Regardless, our Social Security disability law firm is committed to getting your benefits as quickly as possible.
In this article, we will tell you some of the ways you can ensure your claim is processed with as few delays as possible. Then, we will look at some of the very limited circumstances in which a claim can be expedited.
1. Minimizing Delays in Your Claim
There are several steps you, as a claimant, can take to ensure that disability benefits are not delayed by mistakes or gaps in information. First, most correspondence sent by the Social Security Administration is received by the individual claimant before it is received by their attorney. Thus, notifying your Social Security disability attorney when you receive any letters or information from Social Security can cut down on wait times. We can move much faster, and decide on the best way to proceed without having to wait for information to reach us.
Additionally, you can contact us every few months to make sure that proper information has been submitted. As disability lawyers, we cannot subpoena records or doctor’s reports from medical care providers. We can only make requests. As such, keep in constant touch with us and with your doctors to make sure that information is being properly submitted to us and to Social Security.
2. Can I Expedite My Claim?
Unfortunately, the average claimant cannot expedite their claim under most circumstances. The difficulties facing most claimants are pretty commonly shared: financial difficulties and the stress of living with disabling conditions. At any stage of the claim, you may attempt to submit a statement requesting a faster decision. More often than not, however, Social Security will accommodate your request for a faster decision by issuing the fastest one they can: denying disability benefits.
Generally, Social Security will expedite a claim at the hearing level only if one of five criteria are met: the claimant’s illness is terminal, the disability is the result of a military casualty after 8/1/2001, the disability is one listed under the “compassionate allowances list” of rare diseases, the claimant is unable to receive food, medicine, or shelter, or the claimant is homicidal or suicidal. In these cases, a hearing scheduling can occur faster, though it is usually only a reduction of four to eight months.
3. Conclusion
Waiting to receive your disability benefits can be frustrating. The long wait times coupled with uncertain circumstances can easily shake the nerves of many claimants. While it is important to remember that long wait times are shared among all applicants, our Social Security disability attorneys are dedicated to doing everything to help your case proceed as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Do you need a social security disability attorney for applying for disability? Visit Disabilitylawyer.com, is a one of the nation’s largest social security disability law firm.
