The Disability Application Process - The Five Stages

What is a Congressional Inquiry?

A congressional inquiry is a “status check” of your disability claim conducted by your local senator or representative on your behalf. While requesting a congressional inquiry does not automatically guarantee that your claim will be revised or addressed any sooner, it won’t negatively affect your disability application.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has been one of the government agencies that have openly embraced technology. From online Social Security Disability applications to video disability hearings, the SSA has been successful in implementing a number of technology advances in order to streamline their processes. Many Social Security Disability applicants wonder exactly what happens at a disability hearing, and many more wonder what happens at a video disability hearing and how different a video disability hearing is from a traditional disability hearing.

When you apply for Social Security Disability benefits, there are a number of factors that the Social Security Administration (SSA) takes into consideration when determining whether or not you are capable of working. Some of these factors include your educational history, your prior work history and your age. If you want to understand how these factors affect the SSA’s decision when determining whether or not you are capable of any substantial gainful activity, the following information will offer some helpful insight.

While many of our government’s administrative agencies may seem stuck in the stone ages with long waiting lines and less-than-ideal service, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is one of the agencies that have joined us in the 21rst century with an array of online services. One of these services is online SSD applications. If you’ve been wondering whether or not you can apply for SSD online, the following FAQs will provide you with the information you’ve been looking for.

Nearly 60 to 70 percent of the disability claims that are received by the Social Security Administration (SSA) are denied each year, resulting in the need for a disability appeal. For most Social Security Disability applicants, only two stages of the appeal process are necessary, including a Request for Reconsideration and a disability hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). While nearly two-thirds of disability hearings are decided in the favor of the disability applicant, one-third of applicants are not awarded benefits as a result of this hearing.

The Appeals Council is a branch of the Social Security Administration (SSA) headquartered in Virginia, whose sole purpose is to review Social Security decisions. If a Social Security disability applicant has their claim for benefits denied following their disability hearing (which is the second stage in the appeals process), the next step is to request that the Appeals Council review the judge’s decision.

What Happens at Disability Hearings?

Disability hearings help identify how disabling your condition is. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses an SSD hearing to establish if your condition is too disabling to work.

Unfortunately, because of the vast influx of new applications and the economic uncertainty of Social Security, over 60% of disability applications are denied at the Initial Stage. Even if you suffer from a disabling condition that prevents you from working, you will most likely be denied disability benefits when you first apply. Further, 86% of those who appeal their denials and seek Reconsideration are again denied, while 37% of those who request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) are also denied.

There are four stages for SSDI and SSI applications: Initial, Reconsideration, Hearing, and Appeals Council. These steps are the same for both SSI and SSDI applicants.

Stage #1: Initial