We talk a lot with clients about why their valid Texas Social Security disability benefits claim may have been denied. In many cases, the applicants haven’t provided sufficient medical evidence of a disability or sufficiently proven that they are too disabled to work. However, some SSDI and SSI claims are denied for valid reasons. Today, we’ll take a look at five valid reasons the Social Security Administration (SSA) may use to deny a claim:
- You don’t have a long-term disability. To qualify for benefits, you must have a health condition that is expected to last a year or more or an illness that is expected to end in death. If you are disabled because of an injury that will heal within months, your claim will be denied.
- You haven’t followed doctors’ orders. The SSA expects you to follow a treatment plan outlined by your doctor, which often includes medication or therapy. Following your doctors’ orders shows that you are doing everything possible to stay healthy and return to work. If you don’t comply with treatment and don’t have a good reason not to, your claim can be denied.
- You’ve broken the law. You can’t get benefits if you are in prison for committing a felony, if you were injured while in the act of committing a crime, or if you suffered your injury while in prison. But note that you can get benefits after your released from prison.
- You’ve lied on your application. Committing fraud is a serious offense, and if you commit fraud (or have someone else commit fraud) in order to secure benefits (or secure more benefits) you will absolutely not get Social Security disability benefits and your current benefits will be terminated.
- Your disability is directly tied to a substance abuse issue. Although it is possible to secure disability benefits if you have a history of drug or alcohol addiction, your claim will likely be denied if your health problem is directly related to a substance abuse issue that you are not treating.
The bottom line is that it is extremely important to understand why your disability benefits claim was denied – and to understand whether it was denied for a valid reason. If your application for disability benefits was denied, you may wish to speak with a Dallas disability benefits attorney at Morgan & Weisbrod. Call us today at 800-800-6353to learn more.
by Paul B. Burkhalter Managing Partner of Morgan Weisbrod , Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law.