How to Speed up Your Disability Claim?

A final decision on your application for disability benefits from Social Security can take years. By accurately completing all required paperwork, punctually responding to any requests for information from Social Security, and compiling and submitting your own medical records early on, you might be able to speed up the process.

The usual delay is largely caused by waiting for an ALJ ( Administrative Law Judge ) hearing. After submitting your initial application, if you are denied benefits, you will most likely need to request a Social Security hearing and hope that the judge will approve your application. Hearing wait times vary from area to area.

Some ways to speed up your disability application are listed below:

Instead of waiting for an appeal hearing, you can request an "on the record" (OTR) review if you have provided sufficient medical evidence to demonstrate your disability, and there is no requirement for testimony from you or a professional expert, an administrative law judge (ALJ) will issue an OTR decision. You can avoid the ALJ hearing and the delay that comes with waiting for a hearing by making an OTR decision.

Getting an earlier decision from a Social Security attorney is another way to avoid waiting for an ALJ hearing. Claimants who can demonstrate that Social Security made a mistake, who have new evidence to support their claims, or who can demonstrate that there has been a change in the law that will support their claims are eligible for attorney advisor decisions.

The Compassionate Allowances program of Social Security provides applicants with the opportunity to have their disability claims processed more quickly if they have particular medical conditions. The list includes 266 serious illnesses and injuries, including numerous cancers and neurological conditions like Lewy body dementia and Huntington's disease. According to the SSA, this expedited process has resulted in the approval of benefits for over 800,000 individuals as of August 2022.

You automatically qualify for faster claim processing if you have a terminal illness, or TERI, which is the term used by Social Security to describe a condition that is expected to cause death. The following conditions and circumstances are eligible for the TERI program:

• - AIDS
• - Stage IV cancers
• - Bone marrow transplant
• - Awaiting Heart, lung, or Liver Transplant

• - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Social Security will flag the claim for consideration for the TERI program if a qualifying condition is listed on your benefit application. You can also mention on the form that you have a disease that is likely to kill you.

If you have a "dire need," your local Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) may be able to schedule your ALJ hearing earlier than usual. A dire need, according to Social Security, is an immediate threat to one's health or safety, such as insufficient funds for food, shelter, or medical care. You should write a letter to your OHO office describing your circumstances and requesting that your hearing be scheduled as soon as possible if you are homeless, face immediate eviction or foreclosure, cannot afford food, or both.

A disability advocate—also known as a lawyer or non-attorney representative—can assist you with the application process and ensure that you have included all necessary information to be considered for expedited processing. They can also help you figure out who to talk to at the SSA or at the state office evaluating your claim if it appears that your application is stuck.