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Understanding Why Your Social Security Claim Was Denied: Common Reasons and Next Steps

Around 67% of initial Social Security Disability claims are denied. So, receiving a denial notice on your first go-around is not the end of the world. Instead, it should be taken as a sign that you need to strengthen your application by understanding why your claim was denied and making adjustments.

The SSA has strict criteria for approving disability claims, and denials often stem from a few key issues. In this article we want to discuss some of the most common reasons given as to why your claim may be denied. Here are the most common reasons:

Insufficient Medical Evidence

This one is the most common. Essentially, they are saying there is not enough in your claim in order for it to be approved. Remember, the folks at the SSA don’t know you and they don’t know your life experiences. You must convey to them your exact situation and detail every bump in the road. For example, simply stating you have chronic back pain without MRIs or a physician’s functional assessment often isn’t enough.

Not Meeting the Definition of Disability

Disability is clearly defined by the SSA as any condition which prevents you working for at least 12 months. If they determine your condition is not severe enough, it doesn’t meet their listed impairments, or appears that it may be resolved, then the SSA will simply deny your initial a claim. It is up to you to build a better case and file an appeal. Remember, hiring an attorney to manage your case improves your odds of being approved by about 50%.

Earning Too Much to Qualify

If you are earning $1500 or more per month, the SSA may see this as proof that you are able to earn a living and therefore you do not need disability income. If you expect your ability to earn this amount to diminish in the near future, this must be proven beyond any doubt.

Failure to Follow Prescribed Treatment

If you have not followed the treatment advice of professionals in the medical field, this may harm your case and be seen as a major problem in approving your case. The SSA may actually believe that if you follow the prescribed treatments then your condition may improve.

Missing or Incomplete Details on Your Application

This is a common reason for denial. The fact of the matter is that there are roughly only 50,000 SSA employees handling 2 million cases per year. If the application is incomplete, full of errors, or deadlines are missed, the person reviewing your application really has no other option but to deny your application.

Next Steps

You can file for an appeal using the same exact application information, but chances are that you will get denied again. You need to present a better case in order to be approved. Building a better, more fleshed-out case is your best path to success. You can do this with the help of a professional disability attorney in Brevard County in order to get the best results.