Every so often, the Social Security Administration releases a ranking report to the general public in an effort to show how efficient – or inefficient – their specific hearing locations are. While this list includes every hearing office in the United States, it’s just an average and should be treated as such.

To check out how your hearing location ranks among the rest in the country, CLICK HERE to view Social Security’s press release.

Bob’s social security disability case is denied upon the initial application. He has been out of work for 8 months and not receiving any income. Bob appeals his case and requests a hearing, but it could take up to 14 months for that hearing date to arrive. After waiting another 6 months after he filed his appeal, Bob decides that he needs to try and do something to earn some money. At this point, Bob has been out of work and receiving no income for 14 months. If Bob goes back to work, will his case be dismissed?

No.

Since Bob has been out of work for over 12 months and if he is able to prove that his injuries or impairments were severe enough to prevent him from working, Bob still might have a claim for disability benefits. Depending on Bob’s ability to work, or inability work, his attempt to go back will have significant ramifications on his case.

To find out what factors come into play if a claimant attempts to return to work while their disability case is pending, CLICK HERE.

Millions of people across the country are under the impression that they will be entitled to disability benefits based solely on the fact that they are unable to work. This is simply not true.

In fact, before the Social Security Administration even looks at a person’s alleged injuries or impairments, they will first look to see whether a person is eligbile for disability benefits. If the Administration deems a person ineligible, their application will be denied immediately, with no consideration to the person’s alleged disabilities.

So how does the Social Security Administration determine if a person is eligible?

New York disability lawyer Scott Daniels will address this topic tonight on blogtalkradio as part Markhoff & Mittman’s ongoing series of live disability webcasts.

CLICK HERE to be directed to the show.  You can also log onto www.markhofflaw.com, scroll down to the right hand side of the homepage for a listing of all archived shows.

Unfortunately, 65% of initial applications are denied upon an initial application. Thats means about 7 out of 10 people that apply for disability benefits are denied.

Fortunately, you have the ability to appeal Social Security’s decision to deny your case. In New York, your appeal is done by requesting a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge. There are a few different ways to appeal your denial, but you want to make sure you actually do it.

To learn how to effectively appeal your initial denial for disability benefits, click here.

So what can you do to increase your chances for success?

Well, for starters, hiring a qualified attorney will certainly help your chances for success, but unfortunately, the ultimate decision rests with a disability analyst or an Administrative Law Judge. An attorney cannot speed up the time it takes to get a decision, but an attorney can adequately advise you of your legal options.

What you can do is make sure that you comply with all of Social Security’s requests while waiting for a decision. After your application is complete, Social Security will ask you to do specific things so they can better evaluate your case and its crucial that you comply.

To see what kinds of things Social Security will ask of you, take a look at this detailed article to see what you can do to ensure compliance with Social Security’s requests….

In order to start the disability process, a formal application needs to be fully completed and processed with the Social Security Administration.  The application itself can take a while, but it’s important to disclose everything that’s relevant to your inability to hold a job.

Once the application is completed and processed, it typically takes about 3-5 months to get a decision.  If you are denied at the initial application stage, you can appeal this decision and request a hearing.  In the state of New York, your case is immediately transferred to the hearing level, but getting a hearing could take anywhere from 6 to 18 months.

It’s crucial that you correctly fill out your disability application.  Click here to learn more about the different ways to apply for Social Security Disability benefits.