Social Security Disability is often misunderstood. It’s an important protection for people who have worked and earned these benefits. The program is designed to cover disabled workers, as well as their dependents, and to make sure they have the income they need after a serious injury.
When an injury results in a long-term disability, there are lots of things that will change in a person’s life. One of the most significant changes is the loss in income that the person will suddenly see. The Social Security Disability benefits system is meant to make it easier on those with disabilities by providing them with a portion of their lost income.
If people pay into disability, why is it so hard to get it?
As with many benefits systems, there can be a lot of fraud. As a result, the Social Security Administration has to be thorough when reviewing applications. It’s also true, however, that sometimes the hurdles set up to prevent that kind of system abuse can go too far and make life unintentionally rough on people who have legitimate problems.
It’s not unusual, for example, to have someone who is honestly living with a disability struggle to get approved for benefits. The Social Security Act is strict, and any kind of mistake can make it so that the application is denied.
What can help someone get their disability application approved?
If you have received a denial letter showing that you will not be receiving disability benefits, don’t get disheartened. You may want to take that letter to your attorney to discuss why you didn’t get approved and how you can appeal that decision. An appeal will take time, but many people are able to get benefits by providing the Social Security Administration with more information and proof of their disabilities. It’s always wise to work with an experienced advocate to overcome a denial.