There is no doubt that when someone has been approved for Social Security disability benefits that it is a huge relief. For most people who get this welcoming news it comes after more than two years worth of being denied, appealing decisions and waiting with very few resources to live on. Once someone is approved for Social Security disability they may believe there is nothing more to worry about because benefits will continue until they improve medically enough to work, but sadly that is not the case many times.
Social Security has and will continue to kick people of disability benefits even when there is no or very little proof that the person has medically improved. Case in point is a recent story posted on the website of the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives (NOSSCR), which can be found here.
The story depicts one Tennessee woman’s struggle with Social Security after she was kicked off benefits even though she still suffers from the conditions in which first approved her for disability in the first place. It is not uncommon for Social Security to review disability beneficiaries after a few years to see if there is enough medical improvement to stop benefits. The problem is that many times Social Security finds medical improvement when there is none. Most of the time, as what happened to the woman in the story, Social Security will send someone to an exam and look at recent medical evidence. These exams Social Security sets-up are usually performed by a doctor that has never seen the claimant before and most exams last less than 30 minutes. What is even worse than continuing to deny people who are clearly disabled and unable to work as Social Security is wont to do is taking away benefits from someone who has remained disabled even when Social Security says they are not. This is why there are Social Security representatives and law offices that are needed many times to assist in such situations.
