Disability Benefits: Guide to Surviving the Application Process

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When you decide to file for disability, it is important to remain positive throughout the process. After all, it can sometimes take multiple appeals and an extended period of time for your claim to be approved, and you will need to be able to laugh at some of the ridiculous excuses that are often offered to deny the claim. As long as you remain persistent, your odds of eventually getting approved are good.

Why is it so Difficult to get an Initial Approval?
Insurance companies are not in the business of giving away money. In other words, if they have any possible way to deny a claim, they are going to do so. This is why most people are denied the first time they file a disability claim. In the eyes of the insurance company, there is no reason to give people money if they are not willing to go through an extended process to collect it.

However, as explained on www.disabilitydenials.com, “Just because you are told "No" does not mean your claim has been defeated. You have rights, and those rights include appealing the insurance company's decision.”  Therefore, you must be willing to file an appeal to prove that you are serious about your disability.

How can I get through the Waiting Period?
If your disability makes it impossible for you to work, you may need to take out loans or rely on family and friends to assist you financially throughout the process. Fortunately, most people are eligible to receive back pay once their case is approved, and this will make it easier to catch everything up. Again, the purpose of the waiting period from the insurance company's point of view is that it helps them weed out people who are not legitimately disabled.

Unfortunately, there have been a lot of false claims filed, and this can make it difficult for people who are qualified for disability to receive quick assistance. However, as long as you remain persistent, you should eventually win your case and get a lump sum back payment.

Aside from taking steps to protect yourself financially, the best thing that you can do during the waiting period is to remain positive. Even though it will be frustrating if you get denied the first time, you can take comfort in the realization that you will most likely be getting a large payment in the future. Therefore, if you are able to maintain your own bills for a while, you might even end up with the financial resources to buy something nice for yourself to help make up for all of this turmoil.

Working with a Lawyer
The best way to push your case forward successfully is to get legal representation. Although there is no guarantee that the presence of a lawyer is going to automatically enable you to win your case, it will demonstrate that you are serious about your claim. Additionally, a disability denial attorney understands all of the tricks that insurance companies use to deny claims, and they can help you avoid falling into a loophole that will let the company continuously turn down each of your appeals.

Although no one enjoys waiting for an extended period of time to begin receiving benefits, you can take pride in getting the benefits that you deserve once you have been approved. After all, a lot of people fail to file appeals, but you can be rewarded for your tenacity if you keep moving forward.

Legal researcher Shelby Warden shares this advice for those who are waiting for disability benefits.  Marc Whitehead & Associates is a respected national disability claims law firm that knows their way around the insurance companies, and fights hard to get their clients all of the benefits they deserve.