How Long Does It Take To Be Approved For Disability?

Around 650 million people around the world have some type of disability. Some are physical, affecting things like mobility, sight or hearing, while others are cognitive. But all disabilities have a huge impact on people’s lives and coming to terms with a disability can be tough.

Getting the right support during this time is extremely important. While family and friends will do what they can, you can also apply for financial support to ease this transition. Receiving a monthly check and know your medical bills will get covered can go a long way towards lifting the burden.

This is where applying for Social Security Disability benefits can help. But how long does it take to be approved for disability? And what do you need to make your claim? We’re here to help answer some of these questions. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the SSD approval process.

Looking for help with your SSDI claim? Contact us for a free assessment.

Who Qualifies for Social Security Disability Benefits?

In 2016, over 10 million people received support from disability benefits. They help a lot of people across the country. You can apply for disability benefits if you suffer from any of the following:

• Problems with the musculoskeletal system
• Respiratory disorders
• Neurological disorders
• Genitourinary disorders
• Skin disorders
• Mental disorders
• Problems with the cardiovascular system
• Problems with the digestive systems
• Hematological disorders
• Endocrine disorders
• Congenital disorders
• Some types of cancer
• Immune system disorders

These can all affect your ability to work and this means that you might need a little (or a lot of!) extra support. This is where SSD disability benefits come in. They can help you to relieve some of the strain of living with a disability. You can receive cash benefits every month to support you financially. A small portion of benefits goes towards supplementing the cost of your medical care needs. The benefit may even provide support for those trying to return to the workforce while managing their disability.

Whatever type of support you receive, you can only access it if your application is successful. So, let’s take a look at the social security disability approval process.

How Do You Apply?

To start the application process you need to submit a claim to the Social Security Administration (or SSA).

When you submit your application you’ll also need to turn in evidence of your disability. Doctor’s notes, test results, operative reports and consulting examinations (reports) all count as evidence. The process can be complicated and it comes at a stressful time. If you are overwhelmed or not sure where to start, remember that there are people who can support you every step of the way.

Looking for help with your SSDI claim? Contact us for a free assessment.

How Long Does It Take to be Approved for Disability Benefits?

It can take approximately four to six months for your claim to receive an initial decision. So, this is no quick fix!

Unfortunately, even after this long wait, you may find that your application has not been approved. If this happens, don’t panic. The vast majority of claims don’t get accepted the first time around. This means that the answer to the question ‘how long does it take for SSD to be approved’ may not be a simple one. Getting help with your application may increase your chances of success the first time around.

But if your claim is rejected, there are several steps you can take to get it approved.

What Happens if Your Application Is Not Approved?

If the SSA denies your claim, you can file an appeal. It’s important that you do this quickly as there is a 60-day window to ask for a reconsideration (the next step in the process). So let’s take a look at how you make an appeal.

There are several stages to the appeal process.

First, you have to put in a request for reconsideration. This will send your claim back to the SSA for a review, which may or may not result in a positive decision. This will take an additional three to five months, on average.

If you don’t win your case at reconsideration, then you have one more option: a hearing. At your hearing, a judge will look over your case, take testimony, call other witnesses (usually) and decide the final outcome of your claim.

This can sound like a daunting prospect and will definitely take a long while. But Social Security disability hearings have a much higher success rate than initial applications and reconsiderations.

Get Someone to Help You

Having an experienced disability advocate by your side during the application process can work wonders for your case.

They will be able to guide you through every stage of the process from start to finish. They can help you fill out forms and meet all the appropriate deadlines.

They will ensure that you get proper support throughout the appeal process and will represent you at a hearing, if one is necessary. Do not do your hearing alone!

They’ll also ensure that you have everything you need to support your application. This is the best way of cutting down the processing time for your application.

Looking for help with your SSDI claim? Contact us for a free assessment.

The Bottom Line

We might not be able to provide a quick answer to the question ‘how long does it take to be approved for disability?’ because it can be anything from 90 to 500 days to process a successful claim.

Having an experienced and knowledgeable advocate by your side during the process will help you make your best case. For more information, get in touch with us today.

We’re here to help!