How Do I Check The Status of My Social Security Disability Claim?

When you submit an application for Social Security disability or request a review of a denial or other adverse determination, it could be months before you hear anything. The Social Security Administration estimates that it takes anywhere from three to five months to process a claim, but delays can and frequently do occur.

Checking on the status of your SSD claim is a good idea because sometimes all it may take to get a stalled claim back on track is a call to your doctor’s office asking them to forward your medical records to Social Security. Even if there is nothing that can be done to speed up the process, knowing what is going on can ease your concerns and offer hope for a successful outcome.

When London Disability handles your application or appeal, you receive periodic updates from the disability advocate responsible for your claim, or you can simply contact us to find out the status whenever you wish. The Social Security Administration offers methods for you to check the status of a claim for Supplemental Security Income, which is also known as SSI, and Social Security Disability Insurance, commonly referred to as SSDI, in case you want to get the information on your own.

Why should you check the status of your claim?

Once a claim or appeal gets into the system, it could be months before you hear anything back from Social Security. Checking the status of your claim about every 30 days does more than offer peace of mind knowing that your application or request for a review has been received and is being processed. It also lets you take immediate action to correct anything that may delay a determination or that could result in a denial of the SSI or SSDI claim, including:

• Make certain that the most current and accurate information is used to decide your claim for SSD benefits.
• Provide additional information, including updated medical records, to assist in the processing of your SSD claim.
• Take immediate action by contacting health care providers who have not responded to requests for medical records that Social Security needs to process your claim.

Although Social Security sends written notification to claimants of the results of the determination process, checking the status of your claim helps protect your right to appeal an adverse determination.

You have the right to appeal a denial of benefits or other adverse determination, but you must generally file a request for a review or appeal within 60 days from when you receive written notice from Social Security. If the notification is lost in the mail or delayed because you moved and changed addresses, you could miss a deadline.

Checking the status of an SSDI and SSI claims

The status of claims for Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income may be checked using any of the following three methods offered by the Social Security Administration:

• Online.
• Telephone.
• In person.

All of these methods may be used to check the status of an initial application or the status of a request for hearing. You can also check on the status of an appeal or reconsideration of an adverse determination.

Before using the online method to check a claim, you need to establish a “My Social Security” account. The account is free and requires only a couple of minutes to create by going to the Social Security website and entering your email address and creating a password.

You can use the “My Social Security” account to access a wealth of information including the date your appeal or application was filed, the hearing date and time for an appeal, location of a claim, and the servicing office handling it. It will tell you about an incomplete application and provide a re-entry number.

If you prefer using a phone instead of a computer to check on the status of your claim for SSD benefits, the Social Security Administration offers a telephone number that you can use to get information about the status of your claim. It helps to expedite the handling of your call if you can provide them with the confirmation you received after filing your claim for SSD. If you misplaced it, the SSA representative can access your claim though it may take a little longer.

Personal contact may be your preferred method of checking the status of an application or appeal, so the SSA makes it possible with local offices located in communities throughout the country. Call ahead to learn whether you need to schedule an appointment. If you do not have an address for your local Social Security office, you can find it using your Zip code at the Social Security website or a disability advocate at London Disability will be glad to help you.

Working with an experienced SSI and SSDI disability advocate

Our team of disability advocates at London Disability understands how important a prompt resolution of a claim for SSD benefits can be, so we periodically check the status of claims that we handle and do everything possible to expedite the approval process. Learn more about what an SSDI and SSI disability advocate can do for you by contacting us for a free consultation.