Wait Time After Applying for Social Security Benefits

 Posted on July 14, 2011 in Already Applied for Disability Benefits

After you apply for Social Security disability benefits, you may experience extensive periods without any correspondence with the Social Security Administration (SSA). This is no cause for panic.

The Social Security Administration does not do a great job of keeping claimants informed on the status of their claims. As long as you have a confirmation letter proving that the application has been processed, the rest is typically in the hands of SSA or your disability attorney. Over the course of months following an application for disability benefits, SSA should be gathering medical records and more information on your medical condition. If they do not have enough information after doing an initial request for records, SSA may send you for a consultative examination (a doctor appointment to determine your physical or mental limitations). They may request information periodically from you about your work history, daily activities, or medical updates. The requests can come months after you have applied and is not uncommon.

It is easy to become frustrated with the disability process and decide to give up. DO NOT GIVE UP. The process takes time and is often not a mark of your medical condition but rather the backlog of cases in the system. If you have applied for disability benefits and are tired of the waiting process, it may be a good idea to seek out legal representation. A Social Security disability attorney should be able to give you a clear understanding of what you can expect when trying to navigate through the government red-tape. Even if you decide to hire a disability lawyer to help you with your claim, the process can still can a long time to go through.