Applying for Social Security Disability benefits is a long, complicated and frustrating process. After all, you are asking the federal government to pay you, and the federal government does not want to pay you, even if you are entitled to those payments. This is why many Cleveland, Ohio, applications are denied.
Can Social Security Disability determinations be appealed?
Yes. After you receive your denial notice, you usually, have 60 days to file your appeal. And, there are four kinds of appeals: reconsideration, administrative law judge hearing, Appeals Council review and Federal Court review.
However, you should work with your Cleveland, Ohio, SSD benefits attorney to appropriately appeal. You need to figure out what went wrong in the first place to improve your chances for an approval. However, other than Federal Court review, each can be done online.
The hearings and appeals process
The Social Security Administration’s hearings and appeals process is the largest administrative judicial system in the entire world. It issues over 500,000 decisions every year. The Office of Hearings Operations handles reconsiderations, SSA ALJs conduct administrative hearings and the Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight conduct Appeals Council reviews. OARO are the final agency appeal body, and any appeals from OARO occur in a federal court.
Reconsideration
You can request a reconsideration of your denial online. Someone in OHO, who did not take part in the initial determination, will do a complete review of your Cleveland, Ohio, claim. You can submit additional evidence that will be reviewed with everything else submitted.
ALJ hearings
After reconsideration, if you are denied again, you can request an ALJ hearing. The ALJ will conduct a full hearing on your claim. And, if you they deny your claim, you can request another review by the Appeals Counsel. However, the Appeals Counsel can deny your review request, which would mean you can only appeal to the federal court.
Federal court review
The final appeal is with the federal court system. However, these cannot be filed online, and you will likely need a Cleveland, Ohio, attorney.