Reasons Your Social Security Disability Claim May Be Denied

The Social Security disability process can be time-consuming, which makes it all the more frustrating when your initial claim is denied. Here are some of the potential reasons for Social Security disability denial. 

Your Disability is Short Term

The officer evaluating your case will first look to see whether the disability is considered to be a short-term or long-term disability. The Social Security Administration will only pay disability to individuals with a long-term accident that causes ongoing health issues. While it's not always clear cut on how long an injury will last, the officer may go off of your medical evaluations or general treatment recommendations for that type of injury. 

You Earn Too Much Money

You are permitted to earn a small income alongside your disability payments. But since the disability system is designed to help low-income individuals who can no longer work, your claim can easily be denied if you report that you make an income over their threshold. 

There Was a Lack of Follow Up

A successful disability claim also depends on you being available for comment during the evaluation process. If you aren't timely about responding to questions from your evaluating officer, then the claim may be denied altogether. 

You Didn't Follow Medical Instructions

The evaluator may look at your medical records to see if a treatment plan was specified. If you have done something that contradicts your treatment plan, then a disability payment may be denied. 

You Can't Prove Your Claims

Finally, the disability program is vigilant for fraud claims, so they are very thorough about collecting documentation for each disability. If you don't have sufficient evidence to prove your injury, then your Social Security disability claim may be returned to you.

While a Social Security disability denial can't always be fixed, there are several times when you could hire a Social Security disability attorney and create a stronger claim. For instance, you may need to show that your disability has a long term effect rather than a short-term one. You might need to hire a lawyer to stay on top of the claim and follow up with additional documents as needed. A Social Security disability lawyer may be able to help you substantiate claims that didn't have enough evidence in your initial application. In short, it's worth talking with a lawyer to address whether a second disability application could be more successful than the first. 

For more information, contact local professionals like Goebel Law Office.