North Carolina SSD Application Process

What happens when you file a claim for Social Security Disability?

At Golson, McCracken Inc., we have nearly 20 years of combined experience, and our team has won a total of more than $25 million in lifetime benefits for people from all walks of life. We have helped thousands of clients with every aspect of the claim process and have a proven track record of success with even the most challenging cases. When you work with us, you will have dedicated support and guidance throughout every stage of the experience. To give you a better idea of what to expect in your own case, here is a brief overview of what happens in the North Carolina Social Security Disability (SSD) application process:

Preparing Your Claim
During your initial case consultation, we will listen to you tell your story, your explanation of what has happened to you, and how your life has changed. Based on this information, we will be able to determine whether or not you are eligible to receive Social Security Disability benefits and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). If you do have a claim, we will then make sure that Social Security has the necessary evidence to support your claim. This will include medical records and potentially educational and employment records. We will make sure that Social Security can document that you have accumulated sufficient work credits if this is in question.

We like to meet with our clients, whether at our office or closer to your home. We serve clients throughout North Carolina and we are willing to come to you because we recognize that your condition may prevent you from traveling to us. We find that meeting with our clients is very helpful to us in understanding the impact that their injuries or illnesses have had on them, and no one wants to walk into a hearing with someone they have never met before.

Follow-Up and Expediting the Approval
After we have submitted the claim, the process becomes a waiting game to find out whether or not you will be approved to receive benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) reports that the wait time for an initial claim is currently between three and five months, though in practice it often takes considerably longer. During this time, we will take on the task of conducting any necessary follow-up to ensure that your application is not lost in the shuffle. In the event that the Disability Determination Services staff have any questions or require additional data, we can intervene to clarify the situation and avoid unnecessary delays.

Approval or Denial
Sooner or later, you will finally receive a letter in the mail from the SSA. It will either state that you have been approved or denied. In the event of a denial, you will be informed as to why and will be notified of your right to file an appeal of the decision. If your claim has been denied, you should not give up hope of receiving benefits: According to statistics provided by the SSA, approximately two out of every three new claims for SSD benefits are denied every year. An estimated one in three people who are denied proceed with filing an appeal.

Appealing the Claim
The first stage of appeal is reconsideration, which involves requesting to have another member of the SSA staff review your claim. If your claim is again denied upon reconsideration, we can then represent you at a disability hearing before an administrative law judge. At this hearing, you can present evidence and witness testimony, as well as tell your story and make a personal appeal to the judge to approve your claim. In the event that your claim is approved through appeal, we can seek to recover retroactive payment of back benefits so that you can receive the money that you would have gotten if your claim had initially been approved.

To learn more about this process and get started on your own case, fill out our client intake form now.