Atlanta disability attorney and fellow Tulane Law School graduate Jonathan Ginsberg recently posted a video entitled Denial Notices from Social Security. The short video explains why Social Security's form denial notices have no impact on whether or not your case will ultimately be approved.

Jonathan's video got me thinking about those form letters that Social Security sends out when it denies a claim for disability benefits. Often my first contact with a prospective client is after this notice has been received in the mail, and that person is still reacting to the letter. I have written about this topic before: see Social Security Denial Explanations.

I totally agree with the points Jonathan makes in his video. Be aware that it is a form letter, and it is not meant to be insulting. At your hearing, the admininstrative law judge will make a new decision on your disability claim, regardless of the wording of that denial letter.

Furthermore, the letter usually provides some helpful information. It provides a point of reference about how Social Security views your claim. The letter lists the medical sources that were considered in the decision, so you know that you need to obtain any missing records that were not reviewed. Often the denial notice will state that you could return to a specific past job, or do other work. This tells you if your claim was denied at step 4 or step 5 of the sequential evaluation. All this information will give a disability lawyer a starting place to evaluate your claim, and make early decisions about what evidence will be necessary to get a favorable result at hearing.

If you get a denial letter, do not be upset by its language, and try not to get discouraged about the fact that your claim has been denied. Make sure to appeal your denial right away, and get some legal help with your disability claim.