"Stay the course" is a phrase used in the context of a war or battle--meaning to pursue a goal regardless of any obstacles or criticism."
This post is going to use a lot of numbers. Let me say at the beginning: The purpose of this post is to prove that claimants must be prepared to hang on and persist if they want to win disability benefits from Social Security. There are lots of opportunity to quit--but you mustn't.
The complicated Social Security claim process has been described as a byzantine maze. That is, highly complex or complicated and requiring attention to zillions of minute details.
I want to consider the total number of Social Security disability cases filed in 2016. These numbers tell a story you need to know if you're trying to get benefits.
In 2016, a total of 2,582,092 applied for Social Security disability benefits.
852,090 (33%) were approved.
1,730,002 (67%) were denied.
Of those who were denied, only 633,474 (37%) asked for "Reconsideration." (Over 1 million claimants dropped out of the process after the first denial). Is this the real goal of "Reconsideration"?
76, 017 (12%) of those who did ask for "Reconsideration" were approved, while the other 557,457 (88%) were again denied.
219,022 (46%) of claimants who took their denials to a hearing before an administrative law judge were awarded benefits.
166,647 (35%) were denied by the judge
95,227 20%) were dismissed on technical reasons, such as late filing.
Look at these numbers carefully. 2,582,092 claimants started out to get benefits.
219,022 were awarded benefits, but only after they went before an administrative law judge for a hearing.
So, WHERE do most claimants win disability payments? The obvious answer is "at a hearing with an administrative law judge."
What is so discouraging to me, as a disability advocate, is the huge number of claimants who dropped out along the way. I understand why. It's very discouraging to be questioned, examined, poked and prodded, then rejected numerous times and told "you aren't eligible according to our rules." It's understandable that most people simply say, "Enough already!"
Yet, 46 percent of the hardy souls who stayed the course and took their appeals all the way to a judge GOT THEIR BENEFITS. THEY GOT PAID!
If you are sick and tired of dealing with Social Security, please don't give up. Get a legal representative to assist you and let him/her deal with Social Security for you. It will take jigawatts of stress off your life, do away with your constant work on your appeals, and increase your odds of winning--all at the same time.
Stay the Course. Appeal, Appeal, Appeal. Then, appeal some more.
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