Social Security is an agency of rules and regulations. These rules and regulations command for strict compliance among its members. During the processing of claims it cannot be helped that some claims are rejected or denied. The rejections of the claims are based on a thorough analysis of all supporting documents and papers submitted to the agency. Nevertheless, it is also natural for members to challenge the decision of the agency. But as I mentioned the agency has rules and guidelines to follow so if ever a member would like to complain he or she should know the proper procedures involved in appealing.
Members are given sixty days or two months to file for an appeal. There are four levels of appeal which members may apply to and these are as follows: reconsideration, hearing by an administrative law judge, review by the appeals council and the federal court review.
Appealing for reconsideration means that you are asking for another complete review of your submitted claim but this time the reviewer would be a different agency personnel. This person will try to review every minuet detail of your claims as well as your submitted documents and will try to look for new evidences that will help you in your appeal for claims.
The hearing by an administrative law judge is usually held within 75 miles away from the member’s home. The administrative judge will simply notify the appealing member of the time and place where the hearing will take place. A member is allowed to employ the service of a Social Security Lawyer to help provide him or her with the necessary legal assistance. The administrative judge may also request for some witnesses so it is important that a member to have their witnesses present especially during hearings.
The appeals council is called upon if ever after the hearing still the member disagrees with the verdict. However, not all requests for appeals in appeals council are granted especially when after a thorough deliberation of the hearings result shows that the decision was correct. And if after again filing for an appeal on the appeals council a member is still not satisfied of the decision he or she may brought the whole matter to the federal court. The federal court is actually a member’s last resort.
And lastly hire the services of a Social Security Lawyer so that you will be ensured of a much greater chance of getting your claims approved.