To avoid a denied claim for Social Security Disability benefits, and to ensure you receive the benefits you are entitled to, it is important to understand why individuals do not qualify for benefits. Our Social Security Disability lawyers in Raleigh review a few reasons why claims are denied below. The list offers only a few reasons why claims are denied, but there are many more. These can help you understand why you may not qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (SSDI).
Reasons Why an SSDI Claim is Denied
- Earnings. If the applicant earns a certain amount, their claim may be denied. The government uses an SGA factor, which measures Substantial Gainful Activity. Disabled individuals can still work, but if they earn more than $1,070 per month in 2014 the government does not recognize their disability for benefits purposes.
- Drugs and alcohol. When an applicant’s disability is directly related to substance abuse, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will normally deny the claim. To receive benefits, the individual must prove their disability is present when not using drugs and alcohol.
- Fraud. Some individuals try to cheat the government out of benefits and will fake a disability. When the SSA discovers this, not only will benefits be terminated, the individual will be charged with fraud, prosecuted, and will typically be required to pay back benefits and serve jail time.
- Length of disability. If a disability does not last at least one year, the SSA will deny your claim. The SSA pays benefits to individuals who suffer a disability for 12 months or longer, and to surviving family members of individuals who died as a result of their disability.
- Incomplete therapy. If an individual is being treated by a medical doctor for their disability, and the doctor prescribes therapies, the patient must comply with the prescribed therapy. Failing to do so usually results in a denied claim. There are some reasons the SSA accepts from individuals who fail to complete prescribed therapies. If the treatments are too expensive, or if another physician has prescribed opposing treatment, the SSA may accept that the claimant was unable to complete the therapy. Our Raleigh disability lawyers can explain other acceptable reasons upon a case review.
