Are you wondering whether it was a doctor or some sort of bureaucrat who decided to deny your claim for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits? The answer is somewhat complex. Doctors do have input into approval or denial of SSDI benefits, but they are not the only ones. If you have been denied or are considering applying for SSDI benefits, the Social Security Disability attorneys of Kalfus & Nachman can help you better understand the SSDI system and fight to get your SSDI claim approved.
Who Denied My SSDI Benefits?
When you file a claim for Social Security Disability Insurance, the Claims Representative who receives your paperwork forwards it to the state disability agency. In Virginia, this agency is Disability Determination Services, a division of the VA Department of Rehabilitative Services. In North Carolina, your claim goes to division of the NC Department of Health and Human Services of the same name.
Disability Determination Services then assigns your case to a Disability Examiner, who is charged with making the evaluation whether you have injuries or medical conditions that qualify for SSDI benefits. Here is where the doctor comes in. The Disability Examiner can order a consultative medical evaluation in which a doctor, psychiatrist, or other medical professional determines if your injury or medical condition truly makes you unable to work. These medical evaluations are most often required in SSDI claims involving mental health or psychiatric disabilities.
Based on the doctor’s evaluation of your disability, the Disability Examiner writes up your approval or denial of SSDI benefits, which is sometimes, but not always, reviewed by another doctor.
If you have been denied SSDI benefits or need to learn more about the SSDI approval process, please contact the Social Security Disability lawyers of Kalfus & Nachman to schedule your SSDI consultation.