When seeking SSDI benefits, one of the qualifications is that the medical condition needs to last for at least 12 months. In many cases, it will last for the rest of a person’s life. Someone who has suffered a spinal cord injury and is now quadriplegic, for example, may never expect to fully recover. But the minimum is 12 months to count as a disability for the Social Security Administration.
In order to ensure that benefits are still necessary, even after making a determination, the SSA will review a person’s condition. They are looking for any evidence of medical improvement that may show that the person is no longer disabled. How often do they do this?
If no improvement is expected
In situations where your condition is not expected to improve, reviews are relatively rare. They happen roughly every seven years. The SSA still checks in with you, but they don’t anticipate a change.
If improvement may happen
In some situations, improvement is possible, but it’s difficult for medical experts to predict. In these cases, the SSA will conduct their review every three years, on average.
If improvement is expected
In other cases, though, medical professionals do expect to see significant improvement in the future, even if it will take more than 12 months. After making a decision, the SSA will generally conduct reviews every 6 to 18 months.
The legal process
Seeking benefits is important if you are suffering from a disability. It’s crucial that you know exactly what steps to take at every stage in this process. It may help to work with an experienced law firm at this time.