Many people lose patience and energy throughout their application process to receive Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits. Whether it is the appeal or the stress of a disability, it is no surprise that many people take a break at some point, or simply lose track of an appeal deadline.
When that happens, the Social Security Administration will close your case, but what does that mean? Will you have to begin the process all over again when you need to apply for benefits, or is there something that can be done to save your previous work?
Reopening Your Closed SSDI Claim
Fortunately, the latter holds true—you can reopen your old claim under certain circumstances. It is always easier to continue appealing your case, but sometimes the matter is out of your hands and you must bow out of the appeals race.
When you go to reopen your claim, the disability you intend to claim must be related to the disability you listed on your initial application. Typically, most cases can be reopened within a year of the date of the decision, and for special cases—such as clear clerical errors and new evidence—cases can be reopened up to four years after the date of decision.
Is it Worth it to Reopen a Social Security Disability Claim?
In general, it is best to stay the course with your initial claim, even during the appeal process. The claim is already open, so you save a lot of time by just sticking with it. If the situation is out of your control, such as a missed deadline, there is one major benefit to reopening your claim rather than starting from scratch—when approved, you can receive back payments for as far back as your initial application date.
If your initial Social Security disability claim was closed, the process to reopen the claim is fairly simple. Contact my New Jersey disability law firm today to learn more by phone or by clicking on the live chat feature.
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