How to Handle a Disability Denial Letter

The best way to handle a disability claim denial letter from a Social Security administration program is to submit a form in writing requesting a reconsideration of your disability claim.  Don’t get upset – get a reconsideration form!

Requesting Claim Reconsideration

Put all the disappointment and frustration in your back pocket and start filling in the disability claim reconsideration form.  You don’t need to use the form, you can just make a written request for a reconsideration of your claim, but the form hits all the required points and is more likely to not be misunderstood or questioned for some request inadequacy.  You only have sixty days from the date on your notice of claim denial letter to submit the reconsideration request so start the process as soon as you possibility can.  The claim reconsideration form can be obtained at your local Social Security office.

Additional Medical Evidence Supporting Claim

Many disability claims are initially turned down for reasons of inadequate medical evidence.  

• Insufficient documentation of the disability diagnosis
• Deficient medical support and data detailing the severity of the disability as affecting gainful employment, if an adult or fundamental daily tasks, if a child  

The important thing is to try to isolate where your claim fell short and to try to obtain that sort of medical evidence so that you can submit it with your request for reconsideration of the claim.  Sometimes talking with the Disability Determination Service that reviewed your claim can help to understand what caused them to consider that your disability was mild or did not affect your ability to work or perform daily tasks on a severe enough level to be awarded benefits.  You must address whatever the defect in the claim was directly by providing the Social Security program with medical evidence or physician reports that substantiate your version of the disability status in order to successfully overturn the claim denial.

Getting Legal Help

Sometimes it is best to obtain legal help at this point in the claim game.  A lawyer can help to guide you through the Social Security program reconsideration process and help you to figure out what element of the claim was insufficient to be awarded benefits.  The sooner professional help is accessed the better the chance that the reconsideration request will not also be denied.  A disability lawyer has extensive experience with disability claims and can easily address the reasons your claim may have been denied in a timely claim reconsideration request.