Houston Disability Attorney – Proving “good cause” for late appeals

If you submitted a claim to the Social Security Administration (SSA) regarding benefits for a disability, then there’s a fairly good chance that the SSA is going to deny to claim. On average, the SSA denies about 70% of initial claims received, and so if you are one of the many Houston residents who’ve received a denial, then you need to be quick and file an appeal within 60 days from the date of the denial notice.

But what happens if you miss this deadline? Fortunately, even if you miss the appeal deadline, Houston SSD attorney William Herren can help. By proving a “good cause” for your late appeal, you can still submit your appeal to the SSA and initiate the process, saving valuable time and, if all goes well, getting your much-needed benefits sooner.

“Good Cause” Filing Considerations in Houston

The Social Security Administration (SSA) allows claimants to appeal a decision if the claimant disagrees with the SSA decision to deny benefits. After receiving the denial notice, claimants generally have 60 days to file an appeal (the date to appeal is usually written right on the front of the denial notice). Furthermore, in addition to the 60 days, claimants have an additional five days for the mailing of the decisional notice.

If you miss this deadline, then in order to continue the denials process (without having to re-submit your initial application), you need to prove to the SSA “good cause.” Some of the SSA’s considerations for good cause include:

• Circumstances that could have impeded the claimant’s efforts to file the appeal
• SSA actions were confusing to the claimant
• The claimant didn’t understand the Social Security Act
• The claimant’s physical, mental, educational, or linguistic limitations prevented him/her from filing a timely appeal

When requesting consideration, the claimant will have to write a detailed document explaining the reasons for the missed deadline. The claimant can include this document in his/her appeal request.

Examples of “Good Cause”

With years of experience working with Houston residents, we’ve helped countless individuals prove “good cause” for a late appeal. Some common examples of “good cause” that have worked successfully include:

• The claimant was seriously ill and unable to contact the SSA
• The claimant had a death in the immediate family
• The claimant’s pertinent records were destroyed by an accidental cause, such as a fire
• An agency representing the SSA gave out confusing or misleading information
• The claimant was not able to file by the deadline due to a physical, mental, educational, or linguistic limitation
• The SSA used an incorrect mailing address, and the claimant didn’t receive the notice of denial

There are limitless reasons that could have caused you to miss your deadline, and it is important to be truthful with the SSA if you want to prove “good cause.” In some cases, the SSA may still deny your “good cause,” in which case further action with your attorney may be necessary.

How Houston Attorney William Herren Can Help

We at Herren Law are Houston’s leading SSD benefits attorneys, and we have in-depth knowledge of the SSA application process and Texas and federal laws regarding disability benefits claims and appeals. To get Houston attorney William Herren on your side for diligent and comprehensive legal representation, call Herren Law today at (800) 529-7707.