Disabled individuals who wish to file for Social Security in Missouri submit an application through the Social Security Administration for their county. The agency manages two programs funded by the U.S. government which awards benefits based on blindness or disabilities. Disabled individuals who have worked and paid Social Security-based taxes are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance.
Any adult or minor who meets eligibility requirements for disability benefits and qualifies based on low-income receive Supplemental Security Income. All applications in which the individual meets to initial eligibility requirements are forwarded to the Disability Determination Services for Missouri. The DDS makes determinations based on the eligibility requirements outlined by Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation.
What is Needed For Social Security Claims?
Applicants sign a records release when their claim is filed initially with the Social Security Administration. The application states the location of all records required for eligibility determination. This includes schools, past or current employers, doctors, and medical facilities. When the SSA or DDS determines that further evidence is needed for evaluation purposes, the applicant is notified by mail. The notification includes the date, time, location, and name of the doctor; they provide a map or directions for the applicant along with a contact number for rescheduling as needed.
Denials and Appeals
The state of Missouri is currently initiating a new process for appeals after benefits are denied. They have experienced a significant backlog of appeals and have ceased the immediate reconsideration opportunity afforded by the Disability Determination Services. Any applicant who is denied benefits can request a hearing individually or through an attorney. The success rate for appeals in Missouri is 62.5 percent, which is higher than the nation average of 58 percent. Unfortunately, the waiting period for an appeal for Social Security in Missouri is four-hundred nineteen days.
All disability appeals require a four-step process to complete. They include a DDS reconsideration review, a hearing over which an Administrative Law judge presides, a review by the Appeals Council, and the filing of a federal court-based lawsuit. Immediate assistance with the appeal’s process is available through a local social security disability attorney which practices in the applicant’s resident county. Visit the site GrundyDisabilityGroup.com to know more.
