Checking the Status of a Disability Claim
How to Determine the Progress of Social Security Disability Payments
Aug 17, 2009
Those who been involved in an accident or who have developed a medical condition that renders them disabled and unable to work, may be eligible to receive social security disability payments. One should be aware, however, that once one applies for disability benefits there may be a wait of a few months before finding out whether the application has been approved.
Knowing how to effectively check the status of an application for social security disability benefits will not only provide some valuable piece of mind, but may also help to move the process along.
Contacting the Disability Determination Services
Though some people try to check the status of their Social Security disability claims (SSD or SSI) by contacting their local Social Security office and others by calling the toll free Social Security number 1-800-772-1213, by far the most effective and accurate way of checking your application status is by contacting a state's Disability Determination Services, or DDS.
The DDS is the agency that will actually process a claim. One can get the number of a state's DDS either by contacting the local social security office where the claim was filed or by doing an online search.
Once one has established contact with the local DDS, it is possible to actually speak to the disability claims examiner who will decide if the disability claim is to be approved or denied. Though one may not receive a definitive answer regarding whether or not a particular claim has been approved, one *can* get a valuable update on the processing status of an application. One will be able to know, for example, if all the requested medical records have been received or if there is any additional missing information that may be holding up the processing of a request. Ideally, one should make your first call around 30 days after sending in an application.
Once all the information has been received from the applicant, from the treating doctors, and from any necessary third parties, then applicant should plan to call the DDS again to see if the claim has been reviewed. Here it definitely pays to be a little persistent; it will help to keep the process moving. If all of the required information has been received, but the DDS has yet to review the claim, then the applicant should inform them that he or she will be calling again in a couple week's time to see where things are holding.
In short, checking the status of one's social security disability payments should not be conducted passively. By making an active effort, one will to help ensure that the process moves smoothly and in a timely manner. Though it may require a little work, one only stands to benefit in the long run.
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