Why a Denied Social Security Disability Claim Is Not the End
Dealing with major health problems is a roller coaster. You’re worried about your future. The inability to work for a living adds stress.
So, you applied for Social Security Disability benefits with the hope of monthly income that can provide financial stability. But disappointment strikes: you get a denial letter in the mail.
You’re not alone. It doesn’t matter if you live in Valparaiso, Fort Wayne, Evansville, Elkhart, Indianapolis, Gary, Hammond, South Bend, or anywhere in Indiana, you’re more likely to be denied than approved when you first apply.
But your denial letter isn’t the end of the line. Take a step back, regroup, and get ready to fight.
Social Security has a lengthy, multi-tiered appeals process that gives you second, third and fourth chances to show the system that you qualify for these life-changing benefits.
Act fast. YOU HAVE A 60-DAY DEADLINE FROM YOUR DENIAL LETTER TO START YOUR APPEAL.
To minimize the financial strain of lost income while you’re dealing with a severe medical condition, and give yourself the best chance at winning benefits, you should consider legal help.
Nash Disability Law has Social Security Disability lawyers who have been working with people across Indiana for years, helping them appeal benefits denials.
With thousands of cases under their belts, our disability attorneys have collective experience with the Social Security system that can help you turn a denial into an approval.
You pay no attorney fee until you finally win disability benefits.
What To Do after Your Social Security Disability Claim Is Denied in Indiana
When your Social Security Disability claim is denied in Indiana, the appeals process gives you several opportunities to get your case back on track and move toward the benefits you need to stabilize your life.
Here are the key stages of appeal:
Reconsideration: This is your first appeal. Your decision may suggest where your initial application went wrong. Now you can add more insight into your medical and work history to build a stronger case. The reconsideration stage has a low success rate, however. You can think of it as a steppingstone to the next stage of appeals.
Request a Hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ): If your case is denied at reconsideration, this next step is crucial because an Administrative Law Judge will review your case and hear your testimony. You get to talk to a human, and it makes a difference. In Indiana, success at this stage is more promising: more than 50 percent of denials are overturned after disability hearings.
Appeals Council Review: If the disability judge still denies your claim, you can request a review by the Appeals Council at Social Security. At this point, you argue that the judge made a mistake in evaluating your case.
Federal Court Lawsuit: As one of the last steps, you can take your case to federal district court.
You can fight a Social Security Disability denial on your own, but because of the legal complexity of this process, it’s to your advantage to get an experienced disability lawyer at your side.
After hearings, one government study found that people were almost three times more likely to win benefits if they had a representative like a lawyer with them.
The Nash Disability Law team can look at your denial letter and find a route forward. We can represent you before a hearing judge and in some cases through a further stage of appeals if that’s what it takes.
Take some of the burden off yourself and talk to us. The consultation is FREE. Move fast because of the deadline to appeal.
Get your free disability benefits appeal consultation in Indiana.
Why Do Social Security Applications Get Denied So Much?
It’s hard not to take a Social Security Disability benefits denial personally. Indiana residents pride themselves on hard, honest work, and it’s tough to swallow when a government agency doesn’t seem to trust you.
It’s not personal. It’s a tough system meant to weed out anybody who doesn’t deserve benefits.
Social Security denies disability applications for several common reasons, and a skilled disability lawyer can help you either avoid them or recover from those problems on your path to winning benefits.
These could be reasons why you were denied disability benefits in Indiana:
Your earnings disqualify you: Your work activity is one of the first places Social Security will look. They will see what your monthly income is, and if you make more than $1,690 a month from work (as of 2026), they will decide you are engaging in “substantial gainful activity,” able to work and don’t qualify for benefits.
Lack of medical evidence: Next, Social Security looks at your medical condition. You must prove not just that you have a diagnosis, but that your health keeps you from working. If there wasn’t plentiful evidence to back up your story, that may be why you were denied.
Incomplete or inaccurate application materials. When you’re filling out a Social Security Disability application, you need to answer every question on the forms, in adequate detail, and your information needs to be consistent with any other sources Social Security may check. These flaws in your application could be the reason you were denied.
Missed deadlines: Every step in a disability application comes with a clock. If you miss a deadline to file forms, or an appointment, or an initial appeal deadline, you put your claim in jeopardy of being denied.
Interrupted treatment: Social Security wants to see you’re doing everything you can to cope with your medical condition. Benefits should be a last resort, so if they review your records and conclude that you stopped treatment or deviated from your health management plan, which could be why you got denied.
These problems can be fixed with a careful, thorough approach to your disability appeal.
With so many potential pitfalls, give yourself a break and call Nash Disability Law.
We can analyze your file and see what went wrong. Then we guide you through appealing a denial of Social Security Disability benefits in Indiana. We know the process. We are familiar with the administrators, the doctors, and the judges who operate in the system across Indiana.
That experience is invaluable, and we are here for you. Let’s get you another chance at financial stability.
Contact Nash to appeal your disability denial in Indiana.