When Your Social Security Application is Denied
At the law office of Hickman Menashe, P.S., we bring more than 45 years of experience to people throughout the Seattle and Everett area who have questions or concerns about a Social Security disability claim. Our firm is AV rated under Martindale-Hubbell's Peer Review Rating System*. We take a holistic approach, carefully gathering all relevant information so that we can identify all your legal concerns, as well as your options. We emphasize personalized service and individualized attention, always trying to return your calls or e-mails within 24 hours.
Filing a Social Security Disability ClaimBefore you fill out and submit your application for benefits, you should familiarize yourself with the process. To learn more, you can visit our resources page which will take you to Social Security's "Starter Kits" and fact sheets. You should also gather all supporting documentation for your claim.
To file a claim, you have a number of options. You can go online at the Social Security Administration website, or you can set up an appointment at your local Social Security office. You can also call 800-772-1213 to get information about filing by phone or by mail.
As part of your application, you will be required to complete a "Disability Report". This is a form provided by Social Security (either online or in hardcopy) on which you will be asked to describe your conditions and resulting limitations, your education and job history (going back 15 years), medical treatment and prescribed medications, and any recent vocational training.
After you have submitted your application, your claim will be forwarded to a state agency, Disability Determination Services (DDS), for development and evaluation. At this point, you may want to ask your doctors who are most familiar with your conditions to write a letter of support, describing your diagnoses and treatment, and explain how your condition affect your daily functioning. The more specific and detailed your doctor can be in explaining your disability, the more weight Social Security will give to his or her opinion. Any additional evidence of this sort that you obtain should be forwarded to your adjudicator at DDS.
DDS will notify you of any additional appointments that may be required to more fully evaluate your claim. It is very important that you attend all required appointments. You may also receive additional forms to fill out, asking for more information about limitations of your daily and social functioning.
While your claim is in process, you should continue to seek regular medical treatment, and let your adjudicator at DDS know about any new medical providers or evaluations that you did not mention in your Disability Report.
Don't be surprised if your claim is denied, and don't give up or start over if your medical conditions continue to make you unable to work. Nearly two-thirds of all claims are initially rejected, even though nearly 70% of those that appeal are eventually approved.
We usually help clients after they have been denied at both the Initial Claim level and the Reconsideration level. That's when claimants have a chance to take their case to an Administrative Law Judge and our advocacy can add more value. We also help clients with appeals to Social Security's Appeals Council, which is the next step in the appeals process if the Administrative Law Judge denies their claim. At this time, we refer clients who need to appeal to Federal Court to other attorneys who regularly practice in that area.
Contact Hickman Menashe, P.S.
For a private meeting with a Lynnwood area security disability claim attorney, contact our office online or call us at 425-744-5658. For client convenience we have a second office in Bellevue. Flexible appointments are available to accommodate your schedule. We will come to your home or the hospital to meet with you. Our office is handicapped accessible.
Social Security disability claims are generally taken on a contingency fee basis. We will only charge legal fees if we recover compensation for you.
*AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories: legal ability and general ethical standards.
