The Biggest Mistakes Social Security Disability Claimants Make

Top Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Social Security Disability

Filing for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD or SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits can be a long and complicated process. In order to improve your chances of having a favorable outcome, here are some common mistakes to avoid in the application process:

1. Failing to allege all of your severe impairments in your application for benefits, including mental conditions,
2. Failing to obtain medical treatment with any doctor, for either physical or emotional problems, which means there will be few medical records to support the claim,
3. Failing to switch doctors when your doctor does not support your disability claim,
4. Failing to follow doctor’s orders, including the failure to take medication as prescribed by your doctor,
5. Abusing drugs (prescription and street),
6. Abusing alcohol,
7. Continuing to work full time when applying for disability,
8. Collecting unemployment while applying for disability,
9. Failing to periodically check the status of your SSDI or SSI claim, even after long periods of time,
10. Missing the deadline to file an appeal of a denial (find out more about the appeal deadlines),
11. Failing to properly prepare for a Social Security disability hearing before the Administrative Law Judge, or ALJ (read our article on preparing for an ALJ hearing),
12. Exaggerating, and
13. Assuming that you cannot afford a Board Certified Social Security Disability Attorney to represent you (read our report on how a disability lawyer’s fees work).