Americans wait for months to get disability appeal hearings

It is not uncommon for an applicant for Social Security disability benefits to have their initial application denied. A denial is not necessarily a permanently closed door for someone who is unable to work, but rather another hurdle they must overcome in order to get the help they need and deserve. After receiving a denial of benefits letter a North Carolina resident may choose to have their matter reviewed and submit an appeal.

The appeals process for a denied Social Security disability claim will be the topic of another blog post; waiting to get an appeal, though, is the focus of this article. In some cases disabled men and women are waiting for months and even years to receive reviews and appeals of their disability benefits cases, leaving them in financial limbo for an excruciatingly long time.

While a person waits to find out what will happen to their appealed disability claim a number of negative consequences can occur. For example, a person who cannot work may deplete their retirement savings, have to sell their home for money, or even file for bankruptcy if they just cannot support themselves without disability assistance. In some cases, individuals pass away before they ever hear anything about their appeals to the Social Security Administration.

A lack of administrative judges and a host of other issues have created this tragic problem for men and women who need disability benefits to survive. Though no outcome is guaranteed, due to the incredibly long wait people are experiencing to have their disability applications reviewed, it can be beneficial for applicants to put forth their most compelling cases for approval and to use the services of disability benefits attorneys to ensure their applications are comprehensive.

Source: timesunion.com, “Disability benefits: A long, anxious wait“, Madison Iszler, Feb. 24, 2018