A long-awaited improvement to the Social Security e-file has arrived. The Electronic Folder now provides access to Sections A and B at Initial and Reconsideration levels. This is great news for Social Security disability Representatives, and also for the staff at local Social Security field offices.

Having access to the A section of the folder means that you have access to the Disability Determination Explanation, which tells you if a claim was denied or allowed, and why. Before today, when a case was closed by DDS, there was no way to know the result without calling the appropriate field office or waiting for a letter in the mail. Now the file will tell you. That means one less call to the local field office in every case. For new clients who first contact a lawyer after an initial denial, that means the Disability Determination Explanation (DDE) is already in the file. Prior to today, I would need to call the field office to request the DDE, and hope for it in the mail. This is a huge improvement, and will eliminate the need for field offices to receive such routine calls.