He worked with the nurse, social worker, and doctor’s offices, to obtain documentation of... Read more ». The disability claims process take you down the path of the 5 evaluation steps. Disability Application Process Initial Application. ALJ Hearings in Springfield, Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut, Appeals Council Review of Disability Claims Denial by an Administrative Law Judge, Appealing An Unfavorable Social Security Decision To Federal Court. When I could no longer work, I applied for Social Security Disability, but my application was denied. After an application for disability benefits is made to social security, the case is transferred to the state agency responsible for making disability determinations, DDS. Steps to successfully apply for Social Security disability Published Mon, Feb 1 2016 10:05 AM EST Updated Mon, Feb 1 2016 10:05 AM EST Kelli B. During the initial stage you will submit your application to the SSA along with all of your medical evidence and supporting documentation outlined in the Blue Book . Social Security Disability is determined through a series of five steps. You have nothing to lose but plenty to gain. Ready to apply? I live hundreds of miles away. Each step is a question geared to determine the significance and measure of your impairment, as it affects your ability to work full time. To decide whether you are disabled, we use a five-step process. The examiner will consider your condition, age, education, past work experience and any transferable skills you may have. Need help filling out your Disability application? In this stage of the process you will be filling out your initial application and providing the SSA with the documentation necessary to process your claim for Social Security Disability benefits. Longmeadow, Massachusetts 01106. physical and/or mental impairment must be determined (proved) by medical evidence. The Social Security Disability claims process can have many steps depending on how many times your claim is rejected and you appeal. The difference is a conversation for another day. After completing its development of the evidence, trained staff at the DDS makes the initial disability determination. It’s what we do. Most Social Security disability claims are initially processed through a network of local Social Security Administration (SSA) field offices and State agencies (usually called Disability Determination Services or DDSs). I recommend Attorney Roberts as thorough, and dedicated to helping the disabled workers he represents. Now what? Step one is: “Have you worked before and are you working now?” What that means is Social Security requires you to have worked five out of the past 10 years on a regular basis in order to be eligible to even apply for Social Security Disability benefits. Step 1: When to Apply for Social Security Disability. Call 855-702-9061. SSA evaluates income and time at work to see if earnings average more or less than the established Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount. It’s that simple. Here are the five steps: First, the SSA will check to see if you are working. If the DDS found that the claimant is disabled, SSA completes any outstanding non-disability development, computes the benefit amount, and begins paying benefits. If your condition is severe, but not at the same or equal severity as an impairment on the list, then Social Security must determine if your disability interferes with your ability to do the work you did during the last 15 years. When you apply for Social Security disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) wants to know whether your medical disorder is severe enough for you to qualify for benefits. There were times I... Read more », After my first application for disability was denied by Social Security, I called Attorney Roberts, and he started working on my case. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. (This will open another browser window.) The five steps used in the sequential evaluation process are: Step 1 - Social Security must determine if an individual is working and if they are still working are the working at the SGA limit or over. If it doesn’t, your claim will be denied. If you can, you are not considered disabled and your claim will be denied. In a perfect world, applying for Social Security disability would be quick and painless, but we don’t live in a perfect world. Your Lawyer or representative can also file your application. 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