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DISABILITY
30
April 2016 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
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1-800-360-8895
Why Do You Need
Representation at a Social
Security Disability Hearing?
Provided by GAR Disability Advocates
You have just received a letter from the Social Security
Administration telling you your disability case has been denied at the
second step of the disability process
known as Reconsideration. What
are you going to do now?
If you haven’t already contacted
an advocate to represent you, you
need to do so immediately. It is
extremely important that you have
someone who can lead you and
present the best evidence at this
stage of your case. The next step is
a hearing with an administrative law
judge, a vocational expert and possibly medical experts. Get a representative now to help you file your
request for a hearing.
Once you have filed a request
for a hearing, your case goes to the
Office of Disability Adjudication
and Review (ODAR). You will
get a letter from ODAR saying
your appeal has been received and
processed. Most, if not all, people
really have no concept or idea what
to expect once a hearing request
has been filed. How long it will take
to get a hearing scheduled on your
case depends on the area where you
live and how many hearing requests
have been received in the month
your appeal was filed. The average
wait time is from 12 to 18 months.
Most people are very surprised to
find they may have to wait almost
two years to have their case heard
by an administrative law judge. Your
medical condition may worsen or
even improve during this waiting
period. It is important that you
continue your medical treatment
if you have medical insurance or
Medicaid.
There is a lot of confusion about
whether someone can try to work
while the disability case is pending.
If someone is able to perform a job
that is classified as “substantial gainful activity,” he is not considered
disabled. Y