Posted on :August 17, 2015ByLowenstein Disability Lawyers
The Social Security disability process seems designed to wear claimants down with rejection. It takes a long time to get an answer and you might still get denied, even if you and your Palmdale Social Security lawyer are sure you have a valid claim.
It should help to know that rejection is not the end of the world, and certainly not your claim. There are actually four levels of adjudication, and if you are denied benefits at any one level, you and your Palmdale Social Security lawyer can file an appeal to the next level.
Discuss with your Palmdale Social Security lawyer whether it would be viable to appeal to the next level. The four levels are:
• Initial decision
• Reconsideration
• Administrative law judge hearing
• Appeals Court review
Your Palmdale Social Security attorney will tell you that your chances at the initial decision level are probably not that high, but you will probably have a better chance at higher levels.
It is critical that you and your Palmdale Social Security attorney file any appeal within 65 days of the date you receive a rejection. (Technically the deadline is 60 days, but there is also a built-in presumption that it takes five days for the mail to reach you, hence the 65 days.)
If your deadline for filing an appeal ends on a weekend or holiday (or any day that federal employees have off), the deadline is extended until the next full workday. But you don’t want to push your luck; you should try to file your appeal as soon as possible.
Get help filing a disability claim. Call Palmdale Social Security lawyer Janna Lowenstein at 800-954-7752.