Filing a claim for Social Security Disability benefits is not a decision people make lightly. When someone files an SSD claim, it’s because an injury or illness forced them to acknowledge they can no longer engage in employment at a level that will support them and their family. Those who file for SSD benefits contributed to the Social Security Trust Fund for many years, working hard to meet their financial obligations.

When someone is no longer able to work because of a disability, they have a right to expect prompt and efficient processing of their application. But the evaluation of each claim is a multi-step process that can consume many months in a large bureaucracy. While some claims can be resolved in as little as 90 days, others can take 18 months.

Getting Social Security Disability Approved Fast

In some cases, someone who files an SSD claim has supporting medical records with doctors’ opinions that paint a desperate picture of the claimant’s illness. The disability might be based on a finding of advanced disease that will certainly end their life within a year or less. In those tragic cases, there is little doubt and virtually no disagreement about the claim’s validity and the need for immediate benefits.

Such cases can be resolved quickly and with little complication, if an experience SSD advocate or attorney prepares and submits the claim.

More commonly, an SSD claim is based on an impairment that deserves to be approved for benefits but requires a more thorough review to ensure the claimant qualifies as totally disabled. Remember, the federal government does not recognize partial disability. A qualified disability is one that leaves the claimant unable to perform substantial gainful employment for at least one year.

The way to maximize the speed with which a claim is fully processed is to be certain that the claim is prepared by an expert SSD advocate or SSD attorney, making sure every medical record supporting the disability finding is collected and submitted with clear medical opinions, and that nothing needed for approval of the claim is omitted from the package they submit.

Why Claims Are Delayed

When an SSD claim is filed, the first step in the approval process is for the package to be assessed by a Disability Determination Service (DDS). You may be surprised to learn that these SSD determination agencies are not part of the federal government but are affiliated with your state’s agencies. The DDS agents are often overwhelmed by a high volume of applications, and they work under pressure to move the caseload along.

Perhaps it makes sense that issuing an initial denial decision is the easiest and fastest way to clear the case from the desk. There’s no doubt these DDS agents work hard under challenging conditions. But statistics show that most Social Security Disability applications are denied initially. The statistics also show that more than half of those initial denials are reversed on appeal and benefits are granted after a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).

Those figures tend to support the conclusion that most initial claim denials are unfairly and incorrectly decided. Denial means the claim must be appealed and sent to a review office for assignment to a hearing officer.

Unless a claim package was prepared by a trained, experienced professional with a history of successful submissions, the package may be incomplete. An SSD claim package may have an error as small as a misstated date of birth, or an incorrect address. Such trivial errors can result in a rejection due to incomplete or unverified information.

More frequently, when a claim is rejected as incomplete, it’s because someone neglected to collect the necessary medical record to support the claim. The records of treatment may be present, but the opinion of the doctor who diagnosed the disabling impairment might be unclear or indecisive. Without a clear finding by a physician qualified in the relevant specialty, or without objective test results demonstrating the presence of the disabling condition, a qualified disability might not be properly recognized or approved. Professional SSD advocates and SSD lawyers know when an opinion is vague. They can contact the physician and ask for a clearer statement of their findings.

Use an Experienced SSD Professional Advocate or Lawyer for Fastest SSD Approval

Professional, experienced SSD advocates like London Eligibility and Attorney Scott London know how to collect, organize, and prepare all the documents and supporting material you need to win your SSD benefits. Years spent advocating for thousands of SSD claimants means that we know when your case is ready to file.

Once your claim is filed, professional SSD advocates stay on top of its progress through the Social Security Administration’s system and ensure that it moves steadily without unnecessary delays. London Eligibility has earned the confidence of our clients and the respect of those assessing the claims for the government. The quality of our work gives your claim its best chance of approval.

Don’t wait one minute longer than you must to get your SSD benefits. Contact London Eligibility today.