WHY YOU SHOULD APPEAL YOUR DISABILITY DENIAL

7 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD APPEAL YOUR DISABILITY DENIAL

1. The decision is probably wrong.  

The majority of denials are based on bad decisions, failure to accept clear evidence and systemic bias against the claimant.

2.  The majority of denials are overturned on appeal.

A large percentage of Social Security denials are eventually overturned on appeal and benefits are awarded.  This may take a hearing before a federal judge - but you can probably win.

3.    The initial decision making process is highly flawed.

Almost 80 percent of Social Security disability applications are denied.  There are all kinds of reasons why this happens.  Errors have probably been made by the applicant and by disability decision makers.  Decisions should be given a second and third look in the appeals process.

4.  Look at how many denials turn into approvals in the appeals system:

• The "reconsideration" process will approve about 12 percent of denials.

• The hearing process will allow awards to about 50 percent of denied claims.

• In total, at least 6 out of 10 denied claims will be approved on appeal.

5.  It costs you nothing to appeal a denied decision.

There is no filing fee for an appeal and your attorney/advocate will not charge you a fee unless you get approved and recover past due money. There is a great chance you will be approved on appeal - and even if you don't, you are no worse off.  There's nothing to lose.

6.  The only options to filing an appeal are.....

• Giving up

• Starting over

 Both are BAD options.  Giving up means you never get the benefits you deserve.

Starting over means that you will spend up to 2 years just to get back to where you left off; and, chances are the new claim will also get denied. Where are you back to then?  Filing an appeal.

Filling new claims over and over is just spinning your wheels. 

7.  You never have a better chance for approval than in the appeals process, especially at the hearing level. You really want a judge who is highly trained in Social Security law to review your case.

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The Forsythe Firm, Social Security disability specialists, Huntsville, AL.  (256) 799-0297.