When an SSDI application is filed, a comprehensive claim review process begins to determine if the applicant will be awarded Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) benefits or if the claim will be denied.
While the claim review process has not changed in many years, the experience of today’s SSDI applicants is quite different than those from years past, due largely to the many curveballs the COVID-19 pandemic threw at the Social Security Administration (SSA). Unfortunately, wait times have increased since the pandemic began. In fact, from 2020-2022, Social Security exceeded its budgeted target for turnaround times on issuing decisions by approximately 21% at all claim review levels combined. Additionally, the pandemic created both social and economic challenges that caused Social Security to become understaffed at a critical time, thus creating a significant backlog of claims needing review. While the rate of decisions issued did improve slightly in 2022, numbers are still not back to pre-pandemic levels, and today’s claimants are primarily feeling the impact in the form of longer wait times, particularly at the early levels of the claim review process.
It can be easy for applicants to hear this and feel discouraged by the SSDI application process before it even begins. This is why it is so valuable to work with an experienced representative, such as Brown & Brown Absence Services Group. Not only do claims with representation have better award rates, but they are supported by seasoned, knowledgeable professionals who can arm claimants with knowledge about the SSDI process and what to expect in a continually evolving environment.
While every claim is different, and many claimants will experience a relatively short wait prior to receiving SSDI benefits, we have created this infographic to illustrate the longer path an individual applying for SSDI today may follow once their initial application has been filed.
Click here to learn more about the journey of many SSDI applications today.
