Houston Social Security
Disability Attorney

Photo of David Dopkin
Photo of David Dopkin

What reasons does the SSA cite for denying disability claims?

On Behalf of | Jul 22, 2016 | Social Security Disability

Social Security Disability Insurance is supposed to help people who have a mental or physical illness, or an injury, that prevents them from working and earning a living. The SSDI system helps millions of people who depend on their monthly disability payments to help pay for their living expenses. However, just like any other large-scale government program, SSDI is not perfect.

One pitfall of the SSDI system is that the Social Security Administration denies a large number of claims. In fact, the SSA denies as many as two-thirds of all initial claims for disability benefits. Moreover, the SSA denies more than two-thirds of the claims that it reviews at the first appeals level, which is known as reconsideration. So why does the SSA deny so many claims?

The first thing that an applicant should remember if the SSA denies their claim is that it doesn’t necessarily meant that the person is not disabled or that they don’t meet the requirements to get benefits. The SSA frequently denies claims for reasons as simple as they were unable to get into contact with the applicant, which the SSA may need to do to schedule a medical examination, or to get additional information. Likewise, if the applicant makes a mistake like failing to release their medical records, the SSA will be unable to process their SSDI claim.

When a person has a disability and their doctor prescribes medication or therapy, it is crucial that the person follow the doctor’s orders. Failing to adhere to a doctor’s treatment regimen is another reason why the SSA may deny an applicant’s claim for disability benefits.

Although the SSA has many perfectly legitimate reasons why it might deny a claim, sometimes it can make a mistake. In either situation, the applicant may be able to do something to remedy the problem so that they can get benefits. Anyone in the Houston area who is having difficulties with a denied claim, or with any other facet of SSDI, should contact a Social Security attorney.