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| Find us again! Moodletter provides information, hope and help to people living with depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder and those who care for them. ©2006-2011 Deborah Wiig
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Social Security
Disability What if my application for benefits is turned down? Part 3 |
Have
you read these? |
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Two thirds of applicants for Social Security Disability are initially rejected, says AARP. On appeal, more than 60 percent of those claims are approved. Four levels of appeal
exist. You can: 1. Ask for reconsideration
by another DDS caseworker to determine if the initial decision was proper.
These reviews rarely result in overturning the initial decision. 2. Ask for an administrative hearing—a formal hearing before an administrative
law judge. You may request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge
if you disagree with the reconsideration decision. Such judges try hard
to remain objective. In 1999, 55% of disability cases appealed to these
judges were decided in favor of beneficiaries.
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3. Ask for a review by the SSA Appeals Council. This council reviews decisions by administrative law judges. The council usually leaves judges' decisions unchanged. 4. Appeal a denial of disability benefits to a U.S. Federal District Court. Relatively few claimants get their case heard at this level, and the chances of a favorable ruling are only slightly better than the previous level. If I have other questions, where do I go for answers? Call the Social Security Hotline at 1-800-772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST weekdays. The best times to call are early in the morning and early in the evening. Source: NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) Page updated February 1, 2010 |
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