Misinformation is a dangerous thing, but there are different types of misinformation based on who is doing the misinforming. There is the misinformation someone might receive from a relative or friend about a variety of things. Everyone knows someone who has received faulty information about something which is a result of the informer not knowing completely what he or she is talking about, but misinformation from a government agency about a government program is another thing.
As a Social Security disability law office we hear from clients frequently who report that they are receiving misinformation from Social Security, especially when it comes to the agency’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The SSI program provides benefits to disabled and retired Americans who meet certain low-income guidelines. Due to the fact Social Security has to verify income and asset levels of those who apply, we advise clients they should complete the SSI application with Social Security directly. On occasion our clients will inform us that Social Security had indicated that they do not meet the requirements of SSI and later the client will receive a letter in the mail from Social Security indicating they do not qualify for SSI because they did not apply. Obviously this is contradictory information.
What happens is that Social Security will go over a few quick questions with the client and inform them they don’t meet the requirements, but will not complete an actual application. This is why they receive a letter indicating they never applied for SSI even though they informed Social Security they want to apply for SSI.
In many cases Social Security is wrong when they tell people they will not qualify for SSI. In these instances we inform the client to call back Social Security and explain they want to go through the entire SSI process. Many times people do end up meeting the technical requirements of the program and if they are found disabled they actually receive SSI benefits.
There are certainly other times that our clients or even our staff members receive misinformation from Social Security. It can be somewhat understandable that misinformation is released considering Social Security is a huge government agency that is under funded and lacks resources to process claims for services in a timely manner, but that’s why it is so important to understand when misinformation is provided.
Aside from the misinformation some of our clients receive from Social Security, another portion receives wrong information from either friends or family about the qualifications of Social Security’s disability programs. A friend may report that a certain condition does not qualify them or does qualify them for Social Security disability benefits, but that friend may be completely wrong. Social Security has an extensive list of physical and mental health conditions that are considered for a disability claim. Being diagnosed with one of these conditions is not enough to qualify most people for benefits, but more consideration is given to the severity of the conditions and how the conditions impact a claimant’s ability to work. There are many rules related to a disability claim and getting advice from the wrong person can be very impacting on whether a claim is successful or unsuccessful.
