The SSA and Your Disability Case After You’ve Received Benefits
If you’re applying for disability or currently receive benefits, you likely know how life-changing this federal insurance program can be. But you may wonder: does Social Security review your disability case after you’ve received SSDI? And what will they look for?
Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR)
The SSA doesn’t have a set schedule in which they check every single case on a certain day. They are overwhelmed enough as it is. However, they can review your case, and they do so based on specific intervals.
This review is called a Continuing Disability Review, or CDR. They may generally schedule these at intervals of six-18 months after you first receive benefits, then three years, five years, and seven years after you go on disability.
While they don’t always do these reviews at those intervals, they often use them for people whose medical situation is likely to improve a lot over time. Basically, they just want to know if your situation has significantly changed since you first applied. (For example, if you’ve gotten better and/or have been able to find work and make a good income.)
Generally, the law requires the SSA review your medical condition every 3 years, so that’s when you can expect the CDR.
The Number One Rule
When you receive a CDR form, make sure to fill it out and return it in time. In some cases, depending on your improved medical condition or income, they may ask you to provide more information. All you have to do is follow one simple rule: be honest.
It’s perfectly fine for you to get better or find a great job that works with your disability—in fact, that’s wonderful. And the SSA won’t shame you or penalize you if you inform them. They recognize this happens all the time.
The problem only comes when you continue to receive disability benefits beyond your needs and forget or refuse to tell the SSA. In that situation, they may say you owe them some of your payments back.
What Happens If the SSA Refuses Your Benefits
It’s pretty rare for the SSA to stop your benefits after you’ve received SSDI, especially for a disability that continues to keep you from working. The CDR mainly stops people from receiving benefits past the time they need them.
Instead, it’s much more common they will deny your initial application in the first place. Or, after your situation improves and you stop receiving benefits, perhaps your disability returns and you have to re-apply.
In both cases, the SSA denies the vast majority of applications. And in that situation, you have 60 days to appeal their decision.
This is a critical moment in which you need to get an attorney and move as quickly as possible. If you need those benefits, you don’t have time to waste.
We recommend calling us as soon as you find out you’ve been denied. Our Memphis SSDI attorneys immediately start to work on your appeal. We will look over your initial application and find the holes, then work with the appeals court to present the strongest case possible on your behalf and get you the benefits you need and deserve.
We also don’t get paid anything unless you do, and that’s just a fraction of the back payments—you keep every dollar moving forward.
Don’t wait to get started. Contact us today at 901-327-1212 or by using the form below.