Social Security disability professionals at Disability Associates in Maryland discuss the benefits of a dire letter for Social Security Disability Appeals.

Applications for Social Security disability often face delays in the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) disability claim evaluation process. A disability claimant can wait for a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge for an extensive amount of time. Many times, a dire need solution is necessary when such delays affect a claimant’s well-being, and a way to expedite the lengthy review process is known as a “dire need letter.”

In a dire need letter, the claimant must explain why waiting the normal amount of time for a hearing (at least a year) will have negative financial consequences for them and/or their family. Common situations that claimants site in dire need letters are home foreclosure, evictions and the inability to obtain prescriptions that are needed for the safety and health of the individual.

Every regional Office of Disability Adjudication and Review in the country receives hundreds of dire need letters. Therefore, it is fairly common for reviewers at this level to give limited attention to a majority of such letters. However, writing a convincing letter may yield a better chance of a case being addressed.

It benefits a case better if the dire need letter is written by the claimant, not a representative, friend or family member. The letters that get the most attention are those that include the most detail.

For instance, if your home situation is in jeopardy because you are unable to pay your mortgage or rent, this fact should be the first item you address. If your bills are far behind, include which bills specifically and note how far behind they are. If you are unable to pay for medications, obtain clinical/hospital treatment, or pay for critical expenses, meticulously list those variables in vast detail.

The most effective letters are those that include documentation of a claimant’s dire need.  Copies of eviction threats, foreclosure proceedings and past due notices will help to support a position more than merely explaining those situations.

Typically, a hearing office will only consider a dire need situation if it is one in which a disability claimant is in danger of becoming homeless or suffering from extreme health consequences.

However, even if an expedited hearing is granted, there is no guarantee as to how quickly a disability hearing will be scheduled. The process could still take a few months or longer. Despite that fact, it still benefits a claimant immensely to write a letter if it could help expedite their case.

For more information regarding dire need letters and Social Security disability in general, contact Disability Associates located in Baltimore, Maryland today.