SSDI Timelines: What to Expect
After you have suffered an injury or been diagnosed with a disabling disease leaving you unable to work, understanding the timeline for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is essential. For most SSDI applicants, it is crucial to be able to plan when checks will begin arriving so that you can make necessary plans for medical care, bills, and other necessities. While you cannot control every facet of the SSDI claims process timeline, there are certain aspects that you can control. Our SSD claims process attorneys can tell you more about what to expect for the timeline in your case.
Getting a Medical Diagnosis
The first step in the SSD claims process timeline is getting a medical diagnosis, with medical records and documentation, that can allow you to apply for benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA). Sometimes this step will be relatively quick, but sometimes it can take some time, and visits with multiple specialists, before you receive the diagnosis you need. You will need to wait to begin the SSDI application process until you have a proper diagnosis since your medical records will play an important role in your eligibility and approval.
Filling Out and Submitting Your Completed Application
Once you have received a diagnosis, you will need to fill out and submit your completed SSDI application. This can actually be a complicated process given the particularities required by the SSA and the medical evidence that you will need to provide.
Every application must have sufficient medical evidence from a recognized provider that shows you meet the medical requirement for SSDI (a condition expected to last at least one year or to result in death, and that prevents you from substantial gainful activity). Your application must also provide evidence of your work credits, showing that you meet the non-medical requirement based on your work history. There are also other components of the application that will need to be complete and correct. It is best to have a lawyer assist you with your initial application from the start to ensure that everything is properly completed and submitted.
Required Waiting Period of Five Months
There is a required five-month waiting period for SSDI benefits, which means you cannot receive your first benefit check until the sixth month after your disability started.
Actual Waiting Period for Your Initial Decision
While there is a five-month waiting period, it can actually take the SSA a longer period of time to process your application. As such, it is essential to get your application in as soon as possible. The SSA reports that “it generally takes 6 to 8 months for an initial decision” after your application is received.
Contact Our National SSDI Claims Process Attorneys for Assistance Today
The SSDI claims process can be complicated, and the timeline can vary based on individual factors and factors out of your control such as SSA backlogs in addition to set waiting periods. As such, it is essential to begin working on your application as soon as possible with help from one of the experienced national SSDI claims process lawyers at the Law Offices of Stephen Barszcz. Even if you believe your case seems relatively straightforward, it is important to keep in mind that claims are often denied initially for very minor errors. By working with an attorney from the start on your claim, you can ensure that you submit all necessary documents according to the SSA’s requirements so that you can be approved for benefits on the timeline you are anticipating. Contact us today to get started on your SSD application.
Source:
ssa.gov/benefits/disability/approval.html
