After receiving a denial for your Social Security disability application, your next step in getting the disability benefits that you need is to enter into the appeals process. Appealing a disability denial is often much more complicated than many people assume, comprising several steps and tasks that influence whether you will be able to earn your benefits.
When faced with a disability, many people wonder if there is anything they can do to tip the scales in their favor, and this includes questions about the usefulness of a dire need letter. Learn if a dire need letter can help with your disability appeal and discover the benefits of handling your appeal with the help of an attorney.
Different Levels of Appeal
Before learning about the usefulness of a dire need level, it can be helpful to get more information about the process of a disability appeal. Many people don’t realize that there are several disability appeal levels, each of which can take as much as a year before a decision is reached.
In the first step, reconsideration, you request that your Social Security examiner reconsider your initial denial. The second step is to request a hearing from an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). If the ALJ upholds the initial denial, you can ask for your case to be reviewed by an Appeals Council. Finally, if all of the previous steps have failed, you can take your case to federal District Court.
The Basics of Dire Need
A dire need situation is when you’re unable to access basic resources and this lack of resources poses a present threat to your safety. This can include being unable to obtain housing, food or medicine. If the Social Security Administration (SSA) determines that you are in dire need, your application will be marked as a ‘critical case’ and will be processed much quicker than standard applications.
Almost everyone applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is determined to be in dire need because of their income level, but there are much stricter requirements for other forms of Social Security disability.
Writing and Sending Your Dire Need Letter
If you believe that your disability has resulted in a dire need situation, you should write a document known as a dire need letter. In a dire need letter, you will fully document your circumstances and explain why your Social Security application deserves the critical case designation.
When you are writing your letter, it’s important to include as much information as you can. For example, if you are unable to find shelter, you need to explain this to Social Security as fully as possible. If you require a medication and aren’t able to obtain it, you should provide documentation to the SSA that demonstrates your need and your inability to acquire this medicine.
Once your dire need letter is complete, it should be sent to the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review in your region.
Hire a Lawyer for Help With Your Disability Appeal
Taking part in a disability appeal can be difficult, especially if you are in a dire need situation. To handle disability appeal and to get help writing your dire need letter, hire one of the knowledgeable attorneys at The Law Offices of Dr. Bill LaTour.
We’ve been helping disabled individuals in the Greater Los Angeles area, the Inland Empire, and Orange County get the disability benefits they need for years. Call Dr. Bill LaTour and his team today at 800-803-5090 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation.
