SUBMITTING EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT DISABILITY CLAIMS
Up to 25 percent of Californians will become disabled sometime during their working years. When people suffer disabling conditions, they may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. It is important for workers to understand what the agency will look for when it reviews their benefits claims.
When workers submit claims for benefits from the Social Security Administration, they will need to supply medical documentation that shows the severity of their conditions. The agency will also want information that is specific to the claimants' jobs. By gathering and submitting information about their jobs as well as their conditions, the workers may be likelier to be approved for benefits.
The Social Security Administration defines a disability as a condition that prevents people from working and that is expected to last at least one year or to cause death. The disability should prevent the workers from returning to their jobs as well as working at other positions that require similar levels of education and training. Workers should submit documentation about their work histories, their jobs and what their job duties were. They should also submit information about how their conditions prevent them from returning to their jobs as well as to less strenuous jobs.
Disabled individuals whose benefits claims are denied might want to talk with disability lawyers. The Social Security Administration denies a majority of claims when they are initially filed. People have the right to file appeals of the denials, and the lawyers may help them add evidence to their claims files on appeal. The lawyers may also be able to advocate on their clients' behalf through the administrative hearings that are held before the administrative law judges.
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