Top Five Signs Your Disability Claim Will Be Approved

The Telltale Indications that Your SSDI Claim Will Be Granted

You’ve suffered some type of injury or contracted an illness that makes it impossible for you to work. You know that your injury or illness either is permanent or that you’ll be out of work for at least 12 months, so you’ve filed an application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Often, even claims that seem straightforward are initially denied. That can leave you sitting on pins and needles, wondering if and when you’ll start receiving the benefits you need to meet your basic needs.

So how do you maximize your chances of getting your application approved on your first submission? Here are the five factors that most often contribute to a successful application for SSDI benefits:

• You can prove that you have the work credits to qualify for SSDI.
  • Even if your injury or illness qualifies you for benefits, you aren’t eligible unless you have enough work credits. You earn work credits based on annual income subject to FICA taxes. You’re allowed to earn up to four work credits per year, and in 2022, you are entitled to one work credit for every $1,510 of earned income. The required number of work credits for SSDI eligibility varies, based on your age at the time of disability, but for most people, you need 40 hours of work credits, 20 of which were earned in the last 10 years.
• Your application includes convincing medical evidence.
  • It’s pretty simple—the more relevant medical documentation you can provide, the greater the likelihood that your claim will be approved. At a minimum, you’ll want to produce all diagnostic reports, any prognosis prepared by a doctor, X-rays and MRIs, medical history, receipts for prescriptions, and medical records.
• You can prove that your injury or illness will prevent you from working for at least 12 months.
  • Include a letter or other communication directly from your employer, as well as a statement from a treating physician indicating that you cannot work for at least a year. You may also submit copies of monthly bank statements showing no income from your job.
• You qualify according to the SSA Blue Book.
  • The Social Security Administration maintains a “Blue Book,” which identifies certain medical conditions that make a person eligible for disability benefits. If you’ve been diagnosed with one of the listed conditions, you have a good chance of collecting SSDI benefits. If not, you’ll have to submit to a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment.
• You hire an experienced SSDI attorney to handle your claim.
  • Successfully filing an SSDI claim is a complicated and intimidating process. You can’t expect any help from Social Security Administration officials at any time. With an experienced social security disability lawyer, you’ll have someone who knows the process, knows what you need to do to qualify, and knows who to contact to help secure the benefits you need.

Summary

Under the social security disability laws in the United States, a person may seek SSDI benefits if they have a qualifying injury or illness that prevents them from working for a minimum of 12 months. To be eligible, an applicant must have accumulated a sufficient number of SSA work credits. If the applicant’s injury or illness matches the criteria found in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book, chances of securing benefits are greatly improved. It’s also beneficial to have your SSDI claim handled by an experienced social security disability lawyer.