Applying for Social Security Disability in Tennessee

Many people file for Social Security Disability in Tennessee each year. This benefit has been around for decades now to protect the disabled in our society. However, getting benefits is not a cakewalk by any means. Proving eligibility is difficult at best. The Social Security Administration rejects many initial applications. People must file appeals at that point. However, you need to begin the process to go any further along the route. The first step is to file an application for disability benefits. You can do this at any Social Security office in your area. If you are internet savvy, you can go to the SSA's website and apply there as well. For the housebound, the SSA accepts phone applications as well.

You will need to provide a great deal of information in your application. The first thing is describing your disability. The disability must prevent you from working for pay. It must also be longer than 12 months in length or have ended in death. You will need to provide doctor's reports backing up this information as well as a history of the medical treatments for it. You will need to provide information on your education and work history. All of this goes into consideration on whether they consider you meet the definition of disabled or not.

You can apply for two types of benefits. The first is the Disabled Benefits Insurance program, known as DIB. This program is for people who have worked in the past but are now unable to due to a disability. The other program is Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI). This helps those that are disabled and do not have enough income to live on. There are strict monetary guidelines for SSI, but not for DIB. Some people qualify for both benefit programs though.

Once you put your application in, the SSA will review it. An examiner may request that you go to a doctor for an independent evaluation. Once that occurs, the examiner will approve or deny your claim. The SSA examiners deny seventy-five percent of initial applications. However, there is an appeals process. If an examiner denies your appeal, you may request a disability hearing. In Tennessee, these proceedings take place at the offices in Chattanooga, Kingsport, Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville. When you get to filing an appeal, an attorney would help your case. They know what the SSA requires and how to best represent your case to them.