What if My Social Security Disability Application was Denied?

Has your application for Social Security Disability benefits been denied? Why does this happen so often and what can I do now?

The 5 most common reasons applicants are denied disability benefits are:

1. Drug/Alcohol Abuse and/or Criminal Behavior – The easiest way to get denied is to abuse alcohol or illegal drugs.  If you are abusing alcohol or illegal drugs, the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) will not provide you with disability benefits. SSA will also not provide you disability benefits if you are breaking the law. 
2. Lack of Objective Medical Evidence from an Acceptable Medical Source – A lack of objective medical evidence may result in a prompt denial. You must include all your medical providers and their contact information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and dates of appointments. A primary consideration of the SSA is whether your medical providers qualify as “Acceptable Medical Sources.” Here is a list of Acceptable Medical Sources under the Social Security Administration: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0422505003. 
3. Income qualifications – A person can be disabled under the SSA and still work a part-time job.  The SSA retains the right to randomly audit your case at any time. Certain elements will raise flags to the SSA. One such flag is a person working in excess of 20 hours per week. To avoid this random audit, we recommend you work no more than 15 hours per week.
4. Failure to Treat/Follow Treatment Plans from Acceptable Medical Sources – If you do not take prescribed medications or follow other medical treatment plans prescribed by Acceptable Medical Sources, SSA can deny your application for disability benefits.
5. Failure to Cooperate – SSA requests prompt attention from you regarding any information they request. If you fail to provide the requested information or evidence within the specified time period, SSA will deny your application and, depending on the request, you may be forced to start over at the initial application stage.

Only 20% of applications at the initial stage are approved the first time you apply. You only have 60 days from the date of the denial on your initial application to file a Request for Reconsideration.

If Social Security denied your claim for any of the above listed reasons, talk to an attorney about your chances of winning on appeal. Our dedicated Social Security Disability attorney knows and understands the process and the important deadlines you must meet.

You can arrange a free consultation with our Oklahoma Social Security Disability lawyer by calling Carr & Carr Attorneys at Law at 866-510-0580 or contacting us online. We have offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, but we work with clients throughout Oklahoma.