What happens if my claim for Social Security disability benefits is denied?

Social Security disability claims are denied for many reasons, and unfortunately, many people are denied multiple times before they win their case.


There are numerous reasons why the SSA might deny your claim. You might not have submitted enough medical evidence to prove your disability, or you might have exceeded the program’s income limits. Sometimes, the examiner assigned to your case at the Disability Determination Services (DDS) might have simply made an administrative error or overlooked part of your medical history. In any event, the government affords you the right to ask the SSA to reconsider its initial decision if you do not agree with it.

There are four levels of appeals in the Social Security benefit claims process:

  • Reconsideration
  • Hearing with an Administrative
  • Law Judge
  • Appeals Council review
  • Federal court

If your application is denied at one level, then you can appeal to the next.

Being disabled and proving you are disabled are two completely different things –

Let me repeat that…

Being disabled and proving you are disabled are two completely different things.

Obtaining Social Security disability benefits requires you to do far more than to say you are disabled. You must prove to the court you meet the requirements under the 5-step sequential evaluation process using medical evidence from accepted medical sources. Along the way you have to overcome biased examiners, medical exams where they barely ask you your name, vocational experts that believe you can do jobs that haven’t existed since Jimmy Carter was President, and judges that generally decide what they will do with certain cases before they even open your file.

People lose cases because they simply do not know how to win them. Chad Brown Law successfully helps hundreds of people obtain Social Security Benefits every year. Call us today at (336) 962-5373 to see how we can help you win your case.

Our firm focuses on three practice areas: Disability, Personal Injury, and Eminent Domain. Every practice area has attorneys who have expertise in their respective area of practice. 

Chad Brown is a North Carolina Board Certified Social Security disability law specialist. Mr. Brown helps Social Security disability claimants at all stages of the disability process. He also works with people that have Long Term Disability denials and with people that are injured by drugs and defective medical products.

Your Questions Answered

Do I need to tell SSA everything I did in my prior jobs?

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What happens if I cannot afford medical treatment?

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