Terms and Abbreviations

The Social Security Administration and local office use a variety of terms and abbreviations in their forms. Here’s a quick list of common terms you’ll run across.

1. Social Security Disability Insurance / SSDI / Title 2 – you pay into this system as an employee. Also includes workers compensation.
2. Supplemental Security Income / SSI / Title 16 – benefits for people who haven’t worked or worked sporadically
3. Power of Representative – when someone else signs forms for the claimant. There must be a note explaining why the claimant is unable to file for themselves. (This is not the same as appointing representation)
4. Disabled – someone who is unable to work, either according to medical listing or vocational factors.
5. DO – District Office
6. DDS – Disability Determination Services
7. ODAR – Office of Disability Adjudication and Review
8. Appointment of Representation Form / Form 1696 – allows us at London Disability to represent you in the Social Security system and in court
9. ALJ – Administrative Law Judge
10. Disability Report Form / Form 3441 – the list of all of a claimant’s disabling conditions. This will go to the District Office to judge the claimant’s need and eligibility.
11. Consent to Release Information / Form 3288 – allows us to look at your medical records and understand your case.
12. Request for Reconsideration / Form 561 – allows us to re-file your case if it was initially denied.
13. Fully-Favorable Decision – ALJ agreed with all aspects of the case, and approved the benefits.
14. Partially-Favorable Decision – ALJ agreed with some aspects of the case, but not all. May assign some benefits.
15. Unfavorable Decision – ALJ disagreed with all aspects of the case. This can be appealed to the Appeals Council Review Board, and must be done within 60 days of the decision.

If this vocabulary list is not enough to help you, call the experienced professionals at London Disability. We have years of practice in the field, and we can walk you through the application process.