The Social Security Administration has identified the six most common reasons for denied social security disability benefits:

1. The applicant’s disability is not severe, or it is not expected to last more than 12 months.
2. The claimed disability does not prevent the applicant from doing his or her job, or some other types of tasks at his or her place of employment.
3. The disability is the result of a substance addiction.
4. The applicant did not include sufficient medical evidence to verify the disability.
5. The applicant is not cooperating with his or her physicians, or is not following a prescribed rehabilitation program or treatment plan.
6. The applicant went back to work before the disability has been verified.

Many SSI denials are based on the subjective conclusions of an Administration officer, sometimes as a result of incomplete information on an application. For example, an applicant may claim that back pain prevents him or her from standing at a workstation for a regular work shift. The Administration would likely respond by saying that the applicant’s employer could accommodate that issue by providing a chair or other support that alleviates the pain.

A more complete application for back pain might include a complete report from one or more doctors, including X-rays and other diagnostic tests. It will also include recommendations from physical therapists and verified statements attesting to the applicant’s active participation in therapy sessions.

The Administration will use generic assessments, suggesting that a certain type of disability will last for only three or four months, but those assessments might fail to account for unique conditions that exacerbate a particular applicant’s disability. Paying attention to all of the details that are required for a successful application will help to overcome these issues.