Advice when you are trying to win disability or ssi benefits

Having to file a disability claim for either social security disability or SSI benefits is no easy matter, though it should be. Ideally, if a person is unable to work and sustain themselves due to their condition or various conditions, the system should be set up so that an applicants records can be quickly gathered and evaluated and a decision can be made.

But that would be ideal. The reality is that, for most disability claimants, their claim will be denied at the basic application level and, to eventually win SSD or SSI, they will have to find a disability lawyer and go through the social security administration's appeal process. This process is one of the most drawn out and exasperating experiences that a person can go through. And not only is it exasperating, it is financially damaging and medically disadvantageous. How so? Well, it is not unusual at all for disability claimants to lose their savings and find themselves in danger of losing their home. And many claimants who are still waiting on a a disability appeal have already lost their health insurance, making it extremely difficult to obtain quality medical treatment of any kind.

Considering the situation that many applicants for social security disability or ssi may face, it would be best to try to avoid certain mistakes and look for ways to possibly speed up a case. So, here are a few pieces of advice with regard to that end.

1. If you are applying for either SSI or social security disability, do not assume that you will receive a decision on your claim for several months. In fact, do not assume that your claim will be processed within any deadline cited by the soc. sec. office. The truth is simply this: there are no deadlines that apply to disability cases and timeframes that are routinely cited by SSA employees are only speculative estimations based on averages. Often, these average timeframes are fairly close on the mark, but, often, "averages" can be very misleading and not particularly helpful. So, don't count on them, particularly when it comes to planning your finances around them. You may get a decision on your social security or ssi claim in one month, four months, or more than six months, but there will be no way to forecast exactly how long the decision will take.

2. If you have access to regular medical care, make sure that you go. Even if your condition is such that you have reached MMI, or maximum medical improvement, you should continue to be seen by a medical treatment source at least once every 2 months. Why? Because disability claim approvals are based completely on a review of your medical records. And not only that, SSDI (social security disability insurance) and SSI approvals can, in most cases, only be made when an applicant's medical records indicate that their condition is currently disabling according to SSA criteria. For this reason, current documentation is of the utmost importance, meaning that regular doctor/hospital/clinic visits should be maintained.

3. If you have any way to reduce your outgoing bills at the time you begin your disability claim, try to do so. Many applicants for social security disability and/or SSI benefits are absolutely stunned when it becomes apparent just how long a claim can take. And too many claimants wind up in the position of no longer being able to make the payments on a second car that, perhaps, should have been sold months before a disability application or appeal was begun. If you can rid yourself of excess monthly financial obligations when you enter into the SSA disability process, do so to avoid financial and monetary complications later.