When your medical conditions prevent you from being able to work, you should consider applying for SSDI right away if you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
If you have applied for Social Security Disability benefits in Albuquerque and were denied, you will need SSDI help from our attorneys. There are many reasons to apply as soon as you’re unable to work, which include the following:
Medical Records Are Needed For A Strong SSDI Claim
Medical documentation of your conditions is vital in a disability claim, so you’ll want to start as early as possible to preserve your case. While the length of time records are kept varies from state to state, a medical treatment facility must keep medical records for at least ten years in New Mexico. The records of minors must be kept until they are 21 years old. Some states keep their records for as little as three years. If you were to apply after too much time has passed since your disability began, records may no longer be available, and it would be nearly impossible to prove you were or are currently disabled.
Work Credits That Are Applied
SSDI depends on the required number of work credits based on your earnings each quarter of a 12-month work year. These credits will only keep you insured under the system for so long, usually around five years after you stop working. This time frame can be even shorter if you have to stop working, return to work, and then stop working again later. Certain medical conditions allow for you to be insured under the system for a longer period after you stop working. Once the insured period ends, SSDI is no longer available. To receive SSDI, you must prove you became disabled before you were no longer insured under the system. Thus, waiting too long to apply can make it much harder to prove your disability before the SSDI end date.
Case Development As You Begin the Process
Because proof of your conditions is foundational to your SSDI case, SSA or your even your own attorney may want you to see a medical or mental health expert to confirm your diagnoses and symptoms. These experts will take a look at your medical records, examine you, or both. An examination is particularly vital when there is not enough documentation of your medical and/or mental health conditions to prove you are disabled. If you were to wait until years after your work credits ended, these medical experts would need to rely almost entirely on the available records and could not observe you during the relevant time period. Consequently, their opinion on your conditions could be deemed irrelevant to your case.
It Can Take Time To Receive A Decision
The appeals process can sometimes take years until there is sufficient proof your medical and/or mental conditions prevent you from working. Some people may get approved on their first application, but often times you may need to appeal a denial on your claim multiple times before you can prove you aren’t able to work. The quicker you begin the process, the quicker you may be approved for the benefits you deserve. And, if you are denied, our firm is here to help you with SSDI assistance.