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THINK OF SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY AS AN ONION - HELPS YOU GET BENEFITS

Thinking of Social Security disability as if it were an onion can help you get paid.  May sound silly, but let me explain:

LAYER 1 is the application level.  Up to 75% get denied here.  You have to get past the first layer.  So, peel the onion.

LAYER 2 is the "reconsideration" stage where a second disability examiner takes a look at your application to see if the first examiner made a mistake.  95% of these "reconsiderations" also deny the claim.  By the way, this second layer is NOT used in Alabama.  We can go to layer 3.

LAYER 3 is the appeal.  It is a hearing before an administrative law judge.  Here at layer 3 is your best chance to be approved.  To get here, you must appeal your denial within 60 days of the date on the denial letter.

LAYER 4 is a review by the Appeals Council.  This happens if the hearing did not produce a favorable result.  The most common thing that happens in Layer 4 is a further denial.  About 25% of cases in this layer will be sent back to the judge for a new hearing.

LAYER 5 is a lawsuit against Social Security in federal district court.  Only about 1% of cases ever get this far.

Unfortunately, many people stop at Layer 1.  They get denied and give up.  Or, they re-apply, keeping them in Layer 1, where they get denied over and over.  The key is to appeal the Layer 1 decision, get up to Layer 3 with an appeal.  This is where something good may happen for you.

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