10 Mistakes To Avoid When Filing For Disability Benefits

If you’ve recently been disabled by a serious injury and want to apply for benefits, you should talk to a personal injury lawyer regarding your options. Understanding the legal process is important since there are certain issues that could either delay or prevent you from collecting the benefits you’re entitled to. Here are 10 mistakes you want to avoid:

1) Attempting to handle your claim without legal assistance – this is likely the biggest mistake that people make when applying for disability benefits. A Personal Injury Lawyer in Stouffville increases your chances of getting benefits and ensures that your rights are protected.

2) Exaggerating your disability – this will lead to problems when the examiner reviews your medical records and finds discrepancies between what you tell them and what is written in your claim.

3) Failure to include your employment history – this puts your disability benefits at risk of being denied. Benefits examiners look at this in order to determine if you can return to your job or if your disability prevents you from doing so. Your injury lawyer will ensure that everything is done as per requirement.

4) Filing for unemployment benefits – if you file for unemployment benefits, this tells the authorities that you are able to find a job or return to your current one. When you file for and collect these benefits, you’re required to look for work.

5)Having gainful employment when filing for benefits – you shouldn’t be working when filing for disability benefits. Check with the SSA regarding the limit on earnings when filing for SSDI.

6)Missing your appeals deadline – you have 90 days to file for an appeal from the date that you receive your denial letter. Otherwise, you’ll have to start the process all over and file a new application. Hiring the services of a lawyer becomes important at this stage.

7)Not checking your claim’s status regularly – regularly checking the status of your claim will uncover any mistakes you’ve made and speed up the claims process.

8)Not doing your homework – there’s more to the process than the paperwork involved. Make sure you do your homework and learn the requirements so you know what you’re entitled to.

9)Not getting regular medical attention – you must seek adequate, regular medical care when applying for your benefits. Otherwise you may not quality. This is proof of your condition and your inability to work.

10)Not taking your medications – not taking the medications that were prescribed for you will put your disability benefits at risk and hurt your credibility. The authorities will see your condition as not serious enough to warrant paying you any benefits.