The Process
- Initial application: If your initial application is denied, you have the right to a request for reconsideration. You must make this request within 60 days of the date of your denial.
- Request for reconsideration: The request for reconsideration should clarify why the Social Security Administration (SSA) erred in denying your claim. It should be supported by medical evidence. If the SSA denies your request for reconsideration, you have 60 days from the denial to request a hearing.
- Hearing: The next step in the process is a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). If you have new evidence to support your disability claim, you should file this evidence within 10 days of when you file your request for a hearing. If, after your hearing, your claim is denied, you can then request a review with the Appeals Council. You must make this request within 60 days of the hearing decision.
- Appeals Council: The Appeals Council will review your case and take one of three actions. It will approve your claim, deny your claim, or return your case to the ALJ for further review. If your claim is denied, the next step is to take your claim to federal court.
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- Complaint in federal court: You have 60 days after your Appeals Council denial to bring a case to federal court.
It Doesn’t Matter Where You Live
Law Office of Barbara M. Jacobson has helped people in California, Oregon, and beyond with all sorts of disability claims. We can help anyone in the United States. We will work diligently, and ensure we present the strongest possible case. We fight for you in federal court, so you get the benefits you deserve.