Dealing with disability benefit delays

There are numerous frustrations confronting people who are seeking disability benefits from the government, from the demands of providing medical evidence to figuring out where to look for answers to your questions. And as an added frustration, the Social Security disability system is notoriously slow-moving when it comes to reviewing applications and approving benefits.

Unfortunately, residents in North Carolina are feeling this last frustration more than others are. According to recent news reports, the Charlotte, North Carolina, Social Security office has the biggest backlog of pending Social Security disability cases in the entire country.

Currently, there are nearly 14,500 cases that have yet to be resolved by the office. This has led to a waiting period that lasts an average of 622 days, which is 100 days longer than the average number of days for the rest of the country.

This means that thousands of people in this state will end up waiting nearly two years for their case to be resolved.

While the office is working to address this by adding another judge to hear appeals and transfer cases to less overwhelmed offices, there is no hard-and-fast solution to speed up the process for most people who are now part of the backlog.

However, there may be things you can do to avoid this backlog in the first place. Having a complete, accurate application can help you secure an approval in the first round making an appeal unnecessary. You may also be eligible to have your claim go through an expedited process under the Compassionate Allowances program.

In order to examine these options and take the steps necessary to hopefully avoid getting caught in the backlog of Social Security appeals, it can be wise to consult an attorney who is familiar with navigating the system and submitting applications. With legal guidance, you can avoid common mistakes and work to secure the benefits you need and deserve.