When trying to prove anything in life, evidence plays a vital role. The same goes for individuals who apply for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Even if a person has a qualifying disability, he or she would still need to provide the appropriate evidence to the Social Security Administration in hopes of gaining an approval for benefits.
The type and extent of evidence needed can depend on the condition involved. However, the SSA typically requires a considerable amount of evidence before approving an SSDI application. Some common evidence the SSA looks for includes the following:
- Medical evidence showing that the disability exists and its severity
- Nonmedical evidence showing the severity, such as testimonies from the claimant, family members, caregivers, friends, social welfare personnel and others
- Evidence showing how long the individual has had the disability
When it comes to providing proper evidence, the applicant has the responsibility of submitting the evidence to the SSA. Additionally, this process is continual, which means that the applicant must submit any new evidence that may come up during the application process. If the provided evidence does not allow the SSA to determine severity, length of disability and the applicant’s ability to work, the application may face a denial.
Gathering enough evidence and presenting it in the proper fashion to the SSA can be difficult and sometimes confusing. However, individuals hoping to apply for and Social Security disability benefits do not have to go through this process alone. Interested parties could gain assistance from legal professionals experienced with this application process and appealing denials.
