How Long Does It Take to Apply for Social Security Disability?

During the campaign, President Donald Trump promised to protect Medicaid, Medicare and the Social Security system. However, since taking office, President Trump’s administration has backed the American Health Care Act (also known as Trumpcare), which may threaten to gut Medicare and Medicaid, making life more difficult for elderly and disabled Americans. With Trumpcare and other drastic changes looming, it is important to stay updated on how the Social Security disability (SSD) application and appeals processes work.

Does It Take a Long Time to Apply for Social Security Disability Benefits or Appeal a SSD Denial?

It can take a long time for people applying for Social Security disability benefits and appealing SSD denials to receive a decision regarding their application or appeal. The reason for this is that there is a backlog for those applying for and appealing decisions for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

When people apply for SSD, Disability Determination Services can take several months to reach a decision regarding the application. In many cases, claimants are denied benefits. In North Carolina, the approval rate for SSD applications is slightly lower than the national average, with an average of one third of applications getting approved. Therefore, most SSD applicants must endure the appeal process to secure benefits.

The first stage of the SSD appeal process is called Reconsideration and can take anywhere from one month to several months. If a claimant is denied benefits as a result of Reconsideration, they must then file for a Hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. Due to a backlog in North Carolina, it can be more than two years before clients have a hearing.

In the video below, Ms. Sheila, a past client of our North Carolina disability benefits law firm, talks about how our firm helped her secured SSD after multiple denials.