Key Takeaways:
- Some SSDI applicants complete the process online without a separate interview, while others speak with Social Security by phone or in person.
- Social Security may ask for personal, work, medical, family, and other information needed to process the application.
- After the initial application is processed, Disability Determination Services generally evaluates the medical evidence and makes the initial disability determination.
- Applicants can use a personal my Social Security account to follow their claim or appeal status and see whether SSA needs additional information.
Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can leave you wondering what happens next. If Social Security schedules a phone or in-person interview, knowing what information the representative may request can make the process easier to navigate.
The interview or follow-up contact is generally used to complete or verify information SSA needs to process your application; it is not a disability hearing. A Boston Social Security Disability lawyer can also help you understand what comes after filing, from responding to requests for information to monitoring your claim while Disability Determination Services reviews the medical evidence.
Table of Contents
What Is the Social Security Disability Interview?
If Social Security conducts your application by phone or in person, that disability interview is an application interview, not a hearing before an administrative law judge. During the application process, a Social Security field office representative handles non-medical eligibility issues and helps obtain the application and related information.
If the claim meets the applicable non-medical requirements, the field office generally sends it to Disability Determination Services (DDS) for evaluation of disability. SSDI application interviews may take place by phone or in person at a local Social Security office.
The representative is not deciding whether you are disabled.
The field office handles the non-medical parts of your claim and gathers the information needed before an eligible claim moves to DDS for the medical determination.
How Do You Apply for SSDI?
In some circumstances, contacting Social Security or submitting a written statement of your intent to file can establish a protective filing date, provided SSA’s requirements are met and a valid application is filed within the applicable deadline. That date can affect the period for which benefits may ultimately be payable.
Applying Online
If you apply for SSDI online, you generally do not need to wait for a separate appointment with a Social Security representative. After receiving the application, SSA reviews it and contacts you if it needs additional information or documentation.
Before applying or completing an interview, gather the personal, medical, work, education, and family information listed in SSA’s Adult Disability Starter Kit. SSA may also ask for documents such as proof of birth, but you should not delay applying simply because a document is missing.
Applying by Phone
If you cannot or do not want to complete the application online, you can call Social Security, and a representative can make an appointment for you to apply. This route may work well if you prefer to begin the process by speaking with Social Security rather than completing the application online.
Applying in Person
You may also apply at a local Social Security office. An appointment is not always required, but SSA recommends calling ahead because scheduling one may reduce the amount of time you spend waiting.
What Happens During the SSDI Interview?
Set aside enough time to provide detailed personal, medical, and work information. SSA advises that an online application or disability interview may take at least an hour, although the actual time can vary. The SSA representative may ask for information about your medical conditions and treatment sources, work and education history, spouse and former spouses, and children who could potentially qualify for benefits on your record.
Expect questions such as:
- When did your condition first prevent you from working?
- Which doctors, clinics, or hospitals have treated you?
- What medications are you currently taking?
- What jobs did you have before your medical condition prevented you from working, and what did those jobs require you to do?
During the medical review, SSA or DDS may ask you to complete additional forms about how your conditions affect your daily activities and ability to function. Answering consistently and honestly matters more than answering quickly.
What Happens After Your Interview?
After SSA completes the necessary field-office processing and confirms that you meet the applicable non-medical requirements, it generally sends the claim to Disability Determination Services, the state agency that develops medical evidence and makes the initial disability determination. DDS generally tries to obtain evidence from your own medical sources first. If that evidence is unavailable or insufficient, DDS may arrange a consultative examination, using your treating source when appropriate or another qualified source when necessary.
An initial disability decision often takes several months. SSA has recently advised that the process generally takes about six to eight months, although individual claims can take more or less time.
How Can You Check Your SSDI Claim Status Online?
You do not have to call the SSA's toll-free line and wait on hold to find out where your claim stands. Applicants who can create or sign in to a personal my Social Security account can check the status of an application or appeal online. SSA also offers automated phone assistance for people who cannot check their status online.
Once you are signed in, your account shows:
- The date Social Security received your application
- The current location of your claim and the servicing office
- Any scheduled hearing date and time
- A re-entry number if you need to finish an incomplete application
SSA has also expanded its online Claim Status Tracker and disability-related digital notices, giving claimants more visibility into their case as it moves through the disability claims and appeals process. Because SSA allows applicants to check their status online at any time, using my Social Security can be more convenient than calling the SSA customer service line solely for a routine status update.
Why Work With a Massachusetts Disability Lawyer Before Your Interview?
If you appoint an attorney or other qualified representative, that representative may appear with you at an SSA interview and can assist you throughout the claims process. Our Boston disability lawyers can review your application for missing or inconsistent information, help you organize supporting records, explain what SSA may request, and assist you in responding accurately as the claim moves through field-office and DDS review.
Patrick Hartwig and the rest of our team have spent years helping Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island residents move through this exact process, from the first phone call with Social Security through every stage that follows.
