How do you start an appeal on a disability claim ?

This is actually fairly simple. To start an appeal on a social security disability or ssi claim, all you really have to do is contact the social security office. Ideally, you should contact the social security office where you filed your application. Contacting a different SSA field office is not necessarily problematic in and of itself, but you probably want to keep the process as simple as possible and eliminate any chance of "gum getting in the gears".

After you contact the SSA office and notify them you want to start an appeal on your SSDI (social security disability insurance) or SSI claim, you should receive a packet in the mail with the appropriate appeal forms. These forms will allow you to indicate any recent medical treatment, new doctors who have treated you, and changes in your disabling condition, as well as any new conditions you may have to report.

Of course, if you have a computer, you can actually do your appeal online and this is increasingly what the social security administration seems to prefer. However, not everyone is comfortable with doing appeals online and for good reason. For one thing, you can keep a photcopy of paper forms (to prove you sent them) and there have been reports of individuals filing disability appeals online that SSA later claims to have never received. For safety's sake, it may simply be better to file a paper hard copy and, two weeks after you have sent in your appeal, make a followup call to the social security office to make sure they received it.

If you have a social security lawyer, of course, you should have this individual file your social security disability or ssi appeal for you. For a disability attorney, this is simple part of the routine and, ideally, your lawyer should do this for you simply to ensure that the appeal is done properly.

Lastly, one of the most important things to remember when doing an appeal for disability is this: do the appeal timely. SSDI (social security disability insurance) and SSI appeals have a sixty day deadline and the last thing you want to do if miss your dealine to file your appeal timely. If your miss your appeal deadline, you will, most likely, have to start all over with a brand new SSD or SSI disability application (if you have a valid reason for submitting a late appeal, you may be able to qualify for good cause, it is completely up to SSA as to whether or not they will grant this).

Of course, if you have a social security attorney handling your claim, they should receive a copy of your disability claim denial around the same you receive your copy (usually, the lawyer will get a copy within 3 days of the claimant receiving theirs). And this fact usually ensures that the appeal will be done on time (even so, it's a good idea to call your lawyer as soon as you find out you have been denied just in case the lawyer's office does not receive their copy of the notice).