Appealing any denial you receive in your Social Security Disability case is very important.
When you apply it usually takes 3 to 4 months for the initial review.
If you are denied at the initial level you have 60 days to appeal.
If you do not appeal, then you must start over. This hurts you because you must reapply and you start over so it will take you longer to get to a hearing before a judge.
The other problem is that if you do not appeal then you lose your rights to back benefits that were the subject of the initial application.
For instance, if you filed on January 1, 2012 and you alleged that your disability started on March 1, 2010, and Social Security denied you on July 1, 2010 and you failed to appeal, then your rights to the March 1, 2010 onset date end. If you reapply, then your back benefits only go back July 1, 2013.
Many people do not realize they are cheating themselves out of back benefits if they do not appeal.
The other problem is that people do not realize that there are different decision makers at each level. This means that someone may see their case differently on appeal at a higher level and rule in their favor.
The other factor is that it takes too long to go through the process; so to delay it any more than necessary is foolish.
In Central Illinois it is taking about 16 months to get from initial application to hearing. Why give up and start over?
Many people do not realize that using a Social Security Disability attorney does not cost them anything unless they win their case. And then the fees are capped by Social Security at 25% of back benefits or $6,000 whichever is the lower amount.
Questions about your disability case? Feel free to call Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.