Filing an application for Social Security Disability Insurance is a process that requires you to hurry up and wait. Once you send in the application, you have to wait on a decision. In order to make your case, you have to fill out the paperwork and present supporting evidence that shows you have a disability.
Social Security will review the information that you present to determine whether you have a disability. If your condition qualifies, you will receive an approval. If your condition doesn’t qualify or if it isn’t preventing you from being able to earn a living, you will be denied. Anyone who is denied has the right to file an appeal of the denial.
Appeal process
There are four levels of appeals that you can launch. They must be completed in order. You will ask for a reconsideration first. If you don’t agree with that decision, you can request a hearing before an administrative law judge. The third appeal is to ask for the Appeals Council to review the case, and the final step is a review by the Federal Court.
There is a limited amount of time that you have to file each appeal. You must review the information in all correspondence that you receive from the Social Security Administration because this will provide the time limit and other information you need to file the appeal. Make sure you check this immediately when you get anything in the mail related to your case.
Appeals aren’t quick
When you file an appeal, you aren’t going to get a quick response. On average, appeals take around 17 months to be heard in New Jersey. There are three offices that handle these cases in this state. Each has a different average waiting period and approval percentage.
- South Jersey: 17 month waiting period, 610 days processing time, and 44% of appeals approved
- Jersey City: 16 month waiting period, 583 days processing time, and 49% of appeals approved
- Newark: 18 month waiting period, 607 days processing time, and 47% of appeals approved
The appeals process is an intricate one. It is best to have someone on your side who knows about the current laws and other information about appeals so that you can do what’s necessary for your case. Missteps could mean that your case is denied or delayed, depending on what was done incorrectly.
