Many Ohio residents apply for Social Security Disability Insurance and then receive denials in response. While you may feel frustrated if you are among them, know that this is not uncommon and that many SSDI applicants wind up having the U.S. Social Security Administration approve them for benefits after going through the appeals process.
Per the SSA, the appeals process has four steps. However, you may not necessarily have to go through all four of them. The first step in the SSDI appeals process is the reconsideration stage.
How the reconsideration stage works
When you ask the SSA to reconsider your SSDI application, someone else who did not review and deny it the first time around is going to take a look at it to determine if he or she arrives at the same conclusion as the first reviewer. If he or she agrees, you may have to move on to the second step in the appeals process, which has you request a hearing in front of an administrative law judge.
How to prepare for reconsideration
Requesting a reconsideration gives you a chance to give the SSA any new evidence you may have to support your claim that you did not turn over the first time around. If you have anything new that demonstrates how severe your condition is or otherwise supports your disability claim, now is the time to submit it to the SSA.
Keep in mind that if you do decide to appeal a denied SSDI claim, you must do so within 60 days of receiving the original denial.
