Recourse when you're denied SSDI

Social security disability insurance is there to help people who have been injured or suffer from a debilitating condition and cannot work.

But what if that person is denied those benefits and suddenly finds themselves without any stable means of income?

First, applicants cannot get SSDI without having medical records that verify the disability. However, even then their application may be rejected.

In fact, 68 percent of all people who applied for SSDI in 2011 were initially denied benefits. And it often can take months before that person is notified.

When an application is rejected, a person can then file a "reconsideration" appeal. But this also takes several more months to process and again could result in a denial.

According to the Social Security Administration, 88 percent of those who were initially denied and then appealed were denied again. Another appeal can then be filed asking for a hearing in front of an administrative law judge.

During this process, the claimant can testify on their own behalf and request testimony from expert witnesses, including their doctor.

And even sometimes all that information still may not be enough to reverse a rejection. This is where having a good lawyer can help. An attorney that specializes in SSDI can help a claimant gather additional information, including employment records and sworn affidavits, to support his or her case.