SSDI Process Guide by Ficek Law, PC in Fargo, ND

Once you have gathered the necessary information, it is time to complete the application. This is a three-part process.

1. You can complete the initial application in person at the SSA office, over the telephone, by mail, or online. Online is the preferred method.
2. The SSA will review your application at the state level.
3. Typically, three to five months later, the SSA issues its decision. The decision can take much longer depending on the circumstances.

Most initial applications are denied. In fact, only around twenty percent of SSA applications for disability benefits are granted initial awards. The SSA will tell you why your application has been denied. You can then appeal the decision.

Request a Reconsideration of Denial

The next step is to file a request for reconsideration. Your claim will then be reviewed, from start to finish, by a different examiner and a decision will be made. Some districts will even consider new information at the reconsideration level. This process generally takes three to four months.

On average, another two percent of applications are approved at this stage of the process.

Request an Administrative Law Judge Hearing

If you still receive an unfavorable decision at the reconsideration level, you have 60 days to request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). It can take from 6 to 18 months for the hearing to occur, and the ALJ will not have been involved at the initial application or the reconsideration level.

On average, another five to ten percent of applications are approved at this stage of the process.

Request a Review by SSA’s Appeals Council

The next step after the ALJ hearing is an appeal before the SSA’s Appeals Council. It is not guaranteed that your request for review will be granted. Even if it is granted, the SSA may decide the case on its own or remand it to the ALJ for further action.

On average, another five to ten percent of applications are approved at this stage of the process.

Request a Review by Federal Courts

If the Appeals Council denies your request for review, your only option is to file a civil action in a federal district court. It is the only step in the process where you must have an attorney represent you.

It is advised, however, that you have an attorney before this step and throughout the entire process. In 2017, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Social Security, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, that indicated applicants represented by a lawyer throughout the SSDI benefits process were 2.9 times more likely to be awarded benefits than those applicants filing on their own.

Common Challenges to SSDI Benefits in North Dakota

There are many reasons why applications for SSDI become derailed. The following are some of the most common.

• Income. You are permitted to earn a small amount of income while receiving SSDI benefits. Earning more than the mandated amount will result in the denial of a benefits claim.
• Failure to cooperate with the SSA. You must take certain steps to comply with the SSA requests while the SSA is reviewing your application for benefits. Failure to do so can result in denial of a benefits claim.
• Failure to cooperate with your physician or medical professional. It is very likely that your physician will require you to attend certain therapies and return for follow-up visits. Unless you have a valid, verifiable excuse for not doing so, you must comply to collect your benefits.
• Failure to prove a qualifying medical condition. Not all medical conditions will qualify you for SSDI benefits. If you cannot prove that yours is a qualifying condition, then the application will be denied. In fact, 20-30% of applications are denied because their medical condition does not qualify.
• Failure to prove inability to work. It can be difficult to prove that you cannot work, but it is necessary for SSDI. Technical reasons, meaning nonmedical reasons, are the main reason applications are denied. Thirty-five to forty percent of applications result in technical denials.

Pros and Cons of a Disability Lawyer in North Dakota

As noted above, having a disability attorney represent your SSDI benefits case is to your advantage. There are minimal or zilch reasons not to hire one. Here, however, is what you should consider before making your decision.

Advantages of a Disability Lawyer

• Attorney fees are statutorily fixed at 25% of past-due benefits and are capped at $6,000.
• Attorneys have no rights to future benefits.
• Your chances of approval are nearly three times more than if you apply for SSDI benefits on your own.
• Your attorney takes on your case for you so you can manage other things in your life.
• Given that most denials are based on technical issues, an attorney can make sure all the paperwork is complete, well-documented, and well-supported.
• You do not have to communicate with the SSA, but your attorney will––including updating the SSA with updates to your medical treatment and following up with the SSA to make sure they obtain all evidence and documentation they need to review and approve your application.
• If your case moves along to the hearing stage, your attorney will represent you before the ALJ and advise you on what to expect and what to do
• At the disability hearing, our attorney at Ficek Law will cross-examine any experts and make sure your case is best presented in a way most favorable to you.

Disadvantages of a Disability Lawyer

The disadvantages are limited. Mostly, it is this: attorney fees. The fees generally run somewhere between $1,000 and $4,000 – the more experienced and more services your attorney provides, the higher the fees. That’s a price you may be able to live with if it means your SSDI benefits are approved.

Contact a Social Security Lawyer in Fargo Today

Applying for SSDI benefits may seem straightforward, but it is not. More likely than not, an applicant’s claim is denied. In fact, only about 30% percent of applicants are awarded SSDI benefits. That is a pretty low percentage for people who cannot work and need to care for their families and pay bills. On the other hand, your chances of an award dramatically increase with the assistance of competent legal representation.

At Ficek Law, our disability attorney in North Dakota will help you secure the disability benefits you deserve. Contact us by either filling out the online form or calling us at 701-241-8525 to schedule a free consultation. This is the single best way for you to improve your chances of winning disability benefits in North Dakota.