Getting your Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income application denied can feel like a major setback. Culbertson Law Group can help if you have been denied benefits in Clearwater. 

  If your initial application for Social Security Disability Insurance or  Supplemental Security Income was not accepted, then you are not alone. Culbertson Law Group has dealt with hundreds of cases just like yours, and we are here to work with you through the process when you have been denied benefits in Clearwater. In this blog, we will discuss the basics of each of these programs, and explain how the appeals process works.   

The Social Security Disability Insurance Program

Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, are the benefits given to eligible persons who cannot work due to a medical condition that is expected to last one year or more, or result in death. SSDI is a monthly payment that is based on the average lifetime earnings of the applicant.    In addition to having a medical condition, there are certain other qualifications that an applicant must have to be approved, including having earned enough work credits and being unable to transition to different work because of the medical condition.   

The Supplemental Security Income Program

Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a program that provides cash assistance to eligible aged, blind, or disabled persons who have very little resources and a limited income.    Both of these programs are administered by the Social Security Administration, and both have strict application requirements that must be met if you do not want to be denied benefits in Clearwater.   

The Steps To Take When You Have Been Denied Benefits In Clearwater

The majority of applications for SSDI or SSI are initially denied for a variety of reasons including:
  • Incomplete or incorrect applications
  • Lack of medical evidence
  • Failure to meet eligibility requirements
  • Failure to submit forms by the deadline
  Luckily for you, and many others dealing with being denied benefits in Clearwater, there is an appeals process. If you have already received your notice of denial in the mail, we recommend that you contact an attorney that is experienced in SSDI and SSI appeals, like the attorneys at Culbertson Law Group.    The appeals process for SSDI and SSI are very similar. Applicants will typically have 60 days to request the appeal after the initial claim was denied. The appeals process has the following four levels:
  1. ReconsiderationDenied Benefits In Clearwater
  2. Administrative hearing
  3. Review by the Appeals Council
  4. Federal Court review
  The good news is that even if your initial application has been denied, the odds for approval at the Administrative Hearing level usually average around 40-50%. This is why it is even more important to ensure that your appeal is done correctly.    If you have been denied benefits in Clearwater and want a helping hand to aggressively represent you throughout the appeals process, contact Culbertson Law Group today.