HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR ODDS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY

What you don't know about Social Security disability can hurt you.
Do you know that Social Security does not make the yes or no decision on your application? That's correct.  They farm out the process to state agencies staffed by state employees.  Typically, these state run agencies are called "Disability Determination Services" or some similar name.  A state employee reviews your evidence and makes a decision about whether or not you are "disabled according to our rules."  If your claim is denied, the letter will come from Social Security.  But they are not the ones who decided.

Knowing that prevents the following mistake:  Refiling your application for disability benefits.  Re-applying will probably get you the same result--another denial. All you're doing by re-applying is wasting valuable time.  The same stage agency will review the same evidence again and reach the same decision--another denial.  Reapplying gets you nowhere fast (OK, it gets you nowhere very slowly).

What you should do is to request a hearing.  This  moves the ball out of the state agency (DDS) court and puts it into play in the Social Security Administration.  Your claim will now go to a specialized agency within the US Social Security Administration called ODAR, which stands for the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.

Just by asking for a hearing, you may nearly double you chances of getting approved.(The odds of initial approval in Alabama are below 30 percent.  Many judges in Alabama have award rates above 60 percent).  Of course, there's no guarantee that you will win at the hearing level, but the odds improve significantly, especially if you have professional counsel and a good case.

One catch:  You only have 60 days to request a hearing.  60 days begins with the date on the denial letter.  Request the hearing in writing and take it to any Social Security office and wait for a receipt.

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