During a social security disability application appointment, a representative is going to interview you, helping you to complete your application. The interview is generally going to take place either over the telephone or in person at a local social security office. The interview will generally take an hour to complete.
An Adult Disability Report can be completed online for applicants that have access to the internet. This online disability report can be found at the Social Security website.
When people are applying for social security disability, they often find themselves with a number of questions. Finding answers to these questions is going to make it easier to understand the entire process. By law, the Social Security Administration has a really strict definition for what disability is. In order to be found to be disabled:
- You have to be unable to do substantial work as a result of your medical conditions, and
- You have to have a medical condition that has lasted for a period of 12 months or that is expected to last for a period of 12 months, or the disability must be expected to result in death.
You cannot receive disability benefits simply because a doctor says that you are disabled. Social Security Disability laws are quite different in comparison to most other types of programs. For example, unlike other programs, Social Security Disability is not going to pay out for a partial disability.
Obtaining a decision takes on average between 3 months and 5 months. What this is going to depend on above all else is how much time it is going to take for your medical records and any other necessary information to be obtained. This information is necessary in order for the social security administration to make the proper decision regarding your application for disability. Yes, it is possible for the decision making process to be sped up by way of coming prepared to your interview, and completing as much paperwork as possible beforehand. It is also possible for you to speed things up by ensuring that you have all of the information that you need before you arrive at your appointment or submit your application paperwork. The following considerations should be made when preparing for your interview.
Is there anything that you can do in order to speed up the process of arriving at a decision?
How long is it going to take for a decision to be made?
Has your doctor said that you are disabled, and is this enough for you to be qualified for SSDI benefits?
How is the SSA going to decide whether or not you are disabled, and what evidence and medical information is going to be used in this decision making process?
Seeking answers to these questions will give you a better understanding of the application process when applying for Social Security Disability. The more prepared that you are for the process, the smoother the process is likely to be for you.