If you have recently become disabled, you want to begin looking into your legal and financial options with an SSDI claim. You have likely never used this system before, though, so it can often feel intimidating and you may not know where to start.
The best place to begin is just by gathering up the personal information you will need to provide when you apply. The more comprehensive the information, the better. Many claims get denied just because a person with a valid claim forgot some key detail, and you want to avoid that if possible, shortening the timeframe.
With that in mind, here are some things that the SSA needs from you:
- Proof of your age
- Your Social Security number
- Your tax returns or the most recent W-2 that you received
- A rundown of the jobs you’ve done, the type of work they entailed, where you worked and what your chosen profession was before the disability
- Your name and address
- The name and address of every clinic, doctor or hospital that you visited
- Contact information for your caseworkers, if applicable
- All medical records that you have. These help to establish the seriousness of your injury by providing medical proof of the claims you are making.
- The types of medications you have taken, the dosages of those medications and any other treatments that you may have gotten.
- Medical test results and lab results
We know that this process can feel overwhelming, but we are here to help. You need to know what legal options you have, and we are happy to help guide the way as you put your claim together.