Approach your first hearing on qualifying to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits with a healthy mix of relief and trepidation. On the one hand, you know you meet basic eligibility standards because you cleared the initial bureaucratic paperwork hurdle and not had your SSDI application rejected automatically on technical grounds. On the other hand, a large number of Social Security disability applications get denied after a single hearing.

Having disability payments approved at a first case hearing depends on presenting incontrovertible evidence of your inability to work for wages and your need for federal government benefits. Giving the impression that SSDI will help will not suffice. Instead, you must convince a case reviewer that federal disability benefits are due and necessary.

Gathering Evidence for Your SSDI Hearing

Federal rules give SSDI applicants the right to work with a disability attorney while putting together their application and moving through the hearing process. Exercising that right will put you in the best position to receive benefits.

In addition to ensuring you complete all the necessary forms and file them with the proper officials along with supporting documents, your Ohio Social Security disability lawyer will make sure you receive a diagnosis for a qualifying condition from a qualified doctor and appropriate care from health care providers. Your legal advisor and advocate will also put you in touch with physical therapists, vocational specialists, psychiatrists, and mental health counselors who can offer additional evidence for your persistent disability and inability to work to support yourself.

Medical and occupational evidence form the basis for your case. Collecting, coordinating, and deciding how to present it are the most important steps to take before going into an SSDI hearing. The best decisions regarding those issues will be made by a Social Security disability lawyer who has navigated the application and hearing process many times.

Letting Your Lawyer Do the Talking

You have no obligation to appear at a Social Security disability hearing. Relying on your SSDI attorney to speak for you and answer the case officer’s questions will help you even if you decide to show up. So, in the weeks leading up to the hearing, focus on keeping your doctor and therapy appointments, following treatment plans, and ensuring your lawyer has all the records he needs to satisfy the hearing officer’s requests for additional documentation. An experienced Social Security Disability lawyer in Ohio will be able to anticipate many potential queries and objections.

Responding to an SSDI Denial

Do not panic when you receive a letter from the Social Security Administration informing you that your SSDI application has been denied. Instead, take the letter to your lawyer and make a plan for appealing. The Social Security Administration permits multiple appeals, and even a final denial by the agency can be appealed in federal civil court. You must respond quickly to denial letters, however, as the deadline for filing a notice to appeal can be as short as two weeks.

If you need assistance applying for or appealing to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, request an appointment with an attorney at the Jones Law Group. You can contact us online or speak to us by calling (614) 545-9998.