How Can I Win my Social Security Case Early and Avoid Waiting Two or Three Years for a Decision?

  With Social Security disability and SSI claims taking up to three years to process through the decision making system, you will want to do everything you can to speed up the process.  Several years ago, I wrote a book called the Disability Answer Guide that helps claimants fill out Social Security’s forms using terms and concepts that make sense to Social Security personnel.  Here is a selection adapted from my book that may be helpful to you as you begin the disability application or appeal process:

• Understand what Social Security is looking for and write out a very clear statement of your case to be used in all of the forms you send into SSA.  At its core, Social Security looks at your capacity for work in evaluating your disability claim.  Your medical problem is important, but even more important is how that medical problem impacts your capacity for work.  You will want to identify specific work limitations that arise from your medical problem.
   
• Example: if you have a herniated disk, the resulting work limitations may be:
• I can’t sit more than 10 minutes without having to move
• I cant’s stand more than 5 minutes in place or total more than 15 minutes
• I can’t walk more than 300 yards without having to stop
• I can’t lift more than a gallon of milk (8 lbs.)
• My pain is at a level 7 on a 10 point scale.
   
• Once you have identified the specific work limitations, ask your doctor to support your claim by including those limitations in a letter, narrative report or checklist form (functional capacity form).
   
• Review the Social Security listings and try to find one that fits your condition - listing level cases tend to get approved earliest in the process because a listing always describes a severe medical problem.  If you can get your doctor to write a letter stating that you meet a listing, your chances for early approval go up dramatically.
   
• If you are denied, file your appeal quickly.  You have 60 days to appeal - there is no need to wait until day 50 to file your appeal.
   
• Enlist your doctor’s help - doctors generally think about your medical problems and appropriate treatments.  Social Security is concerned with work limitations.  If you can get your doctor to “translate” your medical problems into specific work limitations, you will be giving Social Security what it wants.