How Often Does Social Security Deny Disability Claims?

 Posted on June 05, 2023 in Social Security Disability

There are numerous reasons why people seek disability benefits. Serious injuries, illnesses, or mental health issues can affect a person's ability to work, and if long-term disabilities will limit their ability to earn an income and support themselves, public benefits may be an essential form of financial support that will allow them to meet their ongoing needs. While Social Security disability benefits can be invaluable in these situations, many people with disabilities struggle to have their claims approved.

Issues Affecting Social Security Disability Applicants

Every year, around two million people apply for disability benefits through Social Security. These cases are supposed to be evaluated based on specific criteria used to determine whether a person has experienced a serious condition that has limited their ability to maintain gainful employment. However, a large number of disability claims are improperly denied, and in many cases, applicants will need to pursue appeals in federal courts and demonstrate that they meet the qualifications to receive disability benefits.

In recent years, concerns have been raised about the number of cases in which federal judges have overturned the decisions made by Social Security. In 2021 and 2022, federal judges found fault with nearly 60 percent of the decisions that resulted in Social Security disability appeals. In most cases, new hearings were ordered to ensure that all evidence in a case would be considered correctly, although there have been some situations where federal judges have overturned the decisions made by Social Security and ordered benefits to be paid.

The concerns in these cases often address how disability claims are handled by Social Security. When a disability application is initially denied, a hearing will be held before an administrative law judge (ALJ). These judges are required to handle a large number of cases, and they may not have time to fully consider the complex medical issues involved in each disability claim. While around 70 percent of claims were approved by ALJs in 2001, this has decreased to around 50 percent in recent years.

Advocates have claimed that ALJs are pressured to deny benefits whenever possible rather than considering each case impartially. Judges who have approved high numbers of claims have faced increased scrutiny, and some have been placed on leave or terminated because they have not met performance expectations.

Claimants face a number of obstacles as they seek disability benefits, and in an increasing number of cases, claims are being denied for inappropriate reasons. Changes in policies have allowed ALJs to disregard the opinions of doctors who have a history of treating patients in favor of medical examiners employed by Social Security who are more likely to state that a person's health issues are not severe enough to prevent them from working. Other issues can also affect people's ability to appeal denied claims, such as restrictions on when evidence can be submitted before an administrative hearing. As federal judges consider these issues, more and more denials are being overturned because they were based on faulty considerations of evidence. Unfortunately, only around 20 percent of people who have Social Security disability claims denied by an ALJ pursue appeals in federal courts.

Contact Our Plano Social Security Disability Appeals Attorneys

The large percentage of Social Security disability denials that federal judges reject illustrates the importance of working with an attorney to address these issues. Disability claimants will need to make sure they provide the right information to Social Security, make the correct arguments before an ALJ, and take the proper steps to appeal the improper denial of benefits. At The Law Offices of Coats & Todd, our Dallas Social Security disability claim lawyers can provide effective legal representation in these situations, and we will fight to make sure disability applicants can receive the benefits they need. Contact us at 972-671-9922 to set up a free case evaluation.

Source:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/25/social-security-disability-denials-court-remands/