When you file for Social Security Disability (SSD), you’ll generally be asked to undergo testing or medical examinations before a decision is made whether to approve or deny your application for benefits. It’s the responsibility of each state’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) to determine whether your condition qualifies as a disability under existing Social Security laws.
After you submit your application for SSD, DDS will contact you by mail to provide you with the address of where your appointment will take place and when it will occur. It’s important that you try your best to not miss your scheduled appointment time.
If you can’t make it, then you’ll want to contact DDS right away to let them know. While they may attempt to reschedule it, they may also advise you that they’ll just go on the information that you’ve previously provided them with. If they do, then your application may be denied.
When you show up to your appointment, the medical provider that you see will perform whatever examinations and testings are necessary to answer questions posed by the state DDS. It’s important for you to keep in mind that the doctor isn’t the person who ultimately decides whether you have a disability. Instead, their findings and the paperwork that you’ve previously turned in will be used by your caseworker to determine this.
If you disagree with the DDS’s decision once they send you a letter informing you of it, then you have the right to appeal. Instructions for doing so will be included in the letter that you receive.
It’s not uncommon for most SSD applicants to have their requests for benefits denied the first time that they apply for them, even when they are suffering from serious impairments. One benefit to working with a St. Louis Social Security Disability attorney is that they’ll guide you in compiling all the necessary information that you’ll need to give yourself the best chance of getting your application approved.
