When the government denied your application for Social Security disability (SSD) benefits, you could not help but take it personally. You find yourself among the 67% of disabled workers who have had their initial applications denied.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) had its reasons, and there are a variety of them from having the ability to do other type of work and not having a severe enough ailment to alcohol and drug addiction and not following prescribed medical treatment.
Ability to perform other work
In 2019, the SSA denied benefits to more than 469,000 disabled workers who sought them, according to the 2020 Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program. That number represented the lowest since 2000 when the SSA denied benefits to more than 434,000 disabled workers.
The main reasons the SSA denied these claims include the applicant:
- Could do other types of work: 42%
- Had a medical impairment that was not severe: 23.8%
- Could continue to perform his or her usual type of work: 9.1%
- Had an impairment that would not last 12 months: 4.6%
The remaining 20.5% of the denials were attributed to a variety of factors. This list includes drug addiction or alcoholism led to the impairment; insufficient medical evidence provided; the failure to cooperate with the SSA; failure to adhere to the prescribed medical treatment; applicant no longer pursuing the claim and returning to substantial work before establishment of the disability.
File an appeal
Remember, you have the option to file an appeal with the SSA. These disability benefits will help you and your family, so fight for them at every step. The outcome may eventually be in your favor.