Each and every year millions of individuals apply for Social Security Disability benefits. Many of these people quickly become frustrated as they realize how lengthy and complicated the application process can be. Some applicants may expect a decision regarding their application in a few short weeks. The fact of the matter is that very few disability applications are approved in fewer than three to four months, and most take even longer. The following information can help you to understand why it can take so long for the Social Security Administration to approve a claim for disability benefits and guide you through the proper steps to find out the status of your disability claim as it is being processed.
Understanding the Processing Times
Unless you have a condition that qualifies for Social Security's Compassionate Allowance program, it will take a minimum of three to four months for the Social Security Administration to process your claim for disability benefits. Unfortunately, only about 30 percent of applications are approved at this initial application stage. The remaining 70 percent of applicants must go on to file an appeal in order to receive the Social Security Disability benefits they need. Depending on where you live and how far you must take your appeal, it can be anywhere from a few months to more than two years before you are able to complete the Social Security Disability claim process.
How to Check the Status of Your Social Security Disability Claim
If you have filed an initial application for Social Security Disability benefits and you want to know the status of your disability claim, your best bet is to contact your local Social Security office or to contact the state agency that is handling your disability claim. While the Social Security Administration does have an 800 number that applicants can call to get status updates regarding their claim, many applicants have reported that the toll-free number provides incorrect or outdated information and that local Social Security offices are a better resource for up-to-date claim information.
If you are contacting the state agency or DDS office that is handling your claim rather than calling your local Social Security office, you need to understand that these offices cannot provide you with information regarding decisions being made on your claim. For example, if you have been awarded benefits, the DDS office will not be able to inform you of this fact. They can, however, let you know the processing status of your claim. If the Social Security Administration is waiting for certain medical records before making a decision regarding your claim, for instance, the DDS office can tell you which records are currently outstanding.
When Should You Check the Status of Your Claim?
Once you have filed your application for Social Security Disability benefits you should wait about thirty days before calling the Social Security Administration to check the status of your claim. After thirty days has passed, the Social Security Administration should have received all of the medical records needed to process your claim. Ask the person you are speaking with if the SSA has received all of the medical records they have requested. If they have not, ask which records are missing. You may want to make calls to the doctors or medical facilities that have not yet provided the information that has been requested of them. This can help speed up the processing time for your Social Security Disability application.
Once you have ensured that all medical records have been submitted to the Social Security Administration and that the SSA office has everything they need to process your claim for Social Security Disability benefits, call them back (usually two to three weeks after your initial phone call) to check the status of your disability claim again. In the case that you are required to undergo a consultative exam, you should wait until after your exam to make the follow-up call to the Social Security office. If the Social Security Administration has all of the documentation needed it should not be much longer before you receive a decision regarding your disability application.
Staying on Top of Your Claim
It is always a good idea to stay in contact with the Social Security Administration regarding the status of your Social Security Disability claim. If you have gone for your consultative exam and have verified that all of your medical records have been received by the Social Security Administration, there is nothing wrong with calling your local SSA office on a weekly basis to get a status update regarding your claim for\Social Security Disability benefits. In some cases, calling your local Social Security office on a regular basis may help to push your claim for benefits through the system more quickly.
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