Tips on Keeping Your Social Security Disability Benefits

Feb. 15, 2011 - PRLog -- -

Did you know that once you have been awarded disability benefits, your claim may come up for review in the future?  Usually these reviews won’t come up for a couple of years, but sometimes your award may result a review in as early as eighteen months or a year.  This can happen especially in cases where it seems like your condition is likely to improve in the very near future pending surgery or proper medical attention.

The purpose of social security disability is to provide medical care and financial assistance to those who become unable to work due to disability.  Hopefully, with proper medical care, a disabled person is able to get better and return to the work force.  If the claimant doesn’t get better, then he or she cannot return to work.  As long as your condition does not improve and this is documented in your medical records, then eligibility for disability benefits should not end.

Therefore, the most important thing for you to do in order to keep your disability benefits is to continue going to your doctor.  Social Security wants to know that disabled persons are trying to get better.  This is why it is important to maintain regular treatment and to comply with your doctor’s orders even after you have received an award for disability benefits.

Here are the four things you MUST do in order to keep your benefits coming for as long as you need them:

1)      Go to your doctor(s) regularly (or at least every three months)

2)      Comply with doctors orders, i.e., take your medications, get XRAYs and blood work (etc.) done as the doctor orders, undergo and/or talk seriously about pros and cons of any suggested surgery or procedures.

3)      Let your doctor know if there are any changes in your condition or in the symptoms you are experiencing, for the better or for the worse.  If there are no changes, talk about that too!

4)      Refrain from drug, tobacco, and alcohol use:  Social Security also wants to know you aren’t doing anything that could possibly make your conditions worse.


When your claim comes up for review, as long as your condition  hasn’t improved to the point that you are able to return to fulltime work and you have maintained regular treatment as discussed above, you should not lose your disability benefits.

# # #

Disability Group Inc was founded on the principles of dignity and respect. We are a national law firm focused exclusively on helping people receive the Social Security Disability benefits they deserve. Visit us at http://www.socialsecuritylaw.com