If you have filed your Social Security disability claim, a St. Louis Social Security disability lawyer can guide you through the initial and reconsideration determination process.
There are three ways to make a Social Security disability claim:
- On the Internet;
- By phone at 1-800-772-1213; or
- In person.
If you choose to contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) by phone, the staff will make an appointment for you with a representative from your local office. After you fill out the application over the phone, the form will be mailed to you for your signature.
If you choose to complete the application in person, you will be asked basic information that will be entered by a representative onto a computerized form to be printed for your signature.
The application form is one of the few forms in a disability case that your St. Louis Social Security Disability Lawyer is not allowed to sign on your behalf with a few exceptions as noted by the court. This includes an electronic signature from lawyers on your form filled out via the internet, although a lawyer may assist you when you fill out the form online.
During the initial part of the process, the medical determination of your disability is not made by the SSA. Your claim will be referred to a contracted agency in your state which will then determine your status. At this agency, your claim will usually be evaluated by a doctor and a layman, also known as a disability examiner.
When you receive your initial determination, you may appeal if you are not satisfied with the results. This appeal is known as a request for reconsideration. However, in the following 10 states, the SSA is experimenting with eliminating reconsideration: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and parts of New York and California. In these 10 states, if you wish to appeal, you can request a hearing.
If you have requested reconsideration, your case will be handled by a different team than the one that made the first determination. However, the results are usually the same as very few reconsiderations result in an awarding of benefits. If you wish to continue your case at this point, you must request a hearing before an administrative law judge.
Contact A St. Louis Social Security Disability Lawyer
For more information on the initial and reconsideration determination stages of your Social Security disability claim, contact St. Louis Social Security disability attorney David Hicks at 888-588-0001.
