What to Do Immediately After Your SSDI Claim Is Denied

What to Do Immediately After Your SSDI Claim Is Denied

If the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied your Social Security Disability Insurance claim in California, you are not alone. California disability applicants face some of the toughest odds in the country, and federal law, not state law, governs the substance of your claim. However, California’s Disability Determination Services makes the initial and reconsideration decisions on behalf of the SSA. If you just received a disability claim denial, you have a narrow window and a specific set of steps to take before you lose your appeal rights for good.

The Law Offices of Jennifer R. Solomon has represented California claimants for more than 14 years, and Attorney Jennifer Solomon draws on nearly a decade of prior experience as an insurance defense attorney to anticipate exactly how the SSA evaluates a case. 

The firm reviews your denial notice line by line, pinpoints the reason for the rejection, and builds the strongest possible request for reconsideration or hearing on your behalf. Contact the Law Offices of Jennifer R. Solomon today, before your appeal deadline runs out.

What to Do When Disability Is Denied?

The moment your denial notice arrives, read it in full and identify the exact reason the SSA gave for the rejection. The notice starts a strict 60-day clock, and you must file your Request for Reconsideration within that window, or you generally forfeit your right to appeal and must start over with a brand-new application. Do not let that happen. Instead, take these steps right away:

• Calendar the deadline immediately. In most cases, count 60 days from the date on the notice.
• Request your full claims file. Ask the SSA for the evidence it reviewed so you can see exactly what the examiner considered and what additional evidence may strengthen your appeal.
• Gather updated medical records. Pull recent treatment notes, imaging, specialist opinions, and a detailed residual functional capacity statement from your treating physician.
• File your appeal, not a new application. Submitting a fresh claim instead of appealing resets your clock, discards your original filing date, and often forfeits back pay you have already earned.
• Contact a disability attorney. An attorney can spot missing evidence, correct application errors, and frame your medical record so it matches the SSA’s legal standard for disability.

Taking these steps within your first days after a denial preserves your appeal rights and puts you in the strongest possible position for reconsideration or a hearing.

What Is the SSDI Appeals Process?

Your appeal moves through several levels after your denial. The Request for Reconsideration comes first, and a different Disability Determination Services (DDS) examiner reviews your file. 

If that examiner denies your claim again, your case moves to a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). At this hearing, you can testify, present additional evidence, and explain how your condition affects your ability to work. This is generally the stage where approval rates improve because the judge evaluates the full record, including any new evidence presented. 

If the ALJ denies your claim, you can request an Appeals Council review. If the Appeals Council denies review or upholds the denial, your final option is to file suit in federal district court. Each level has its own deadline, so missing one can end your case before a judge ever hears it.

Why Do Most People Get Denied for Disability?

Understanding why the SSA denies so many disability claims helps you avoid repeating the same mistakes on appeal. The most common reasons include:

• Insufficient medical evidence. The SSA requires objective, ongoing documentation demonstrating that your impairment prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA).
• Earnings above the SGA threshold. For 2026, the SSA generally treats monthly earnings above $1,690 as evidence that you can still perform substantial work.
• Failure to meet the duration requirement. Your condition must last, or be expected to last, at least 12 months.
• Failure to follow prescribed treatment. If you skip appointments or ignore your doctor’s treatment plan without a valid reason, the SSA may conclude your condition has improved.
• Incomplete or inconsistent paperwork. Missing providers, unanswered SSA requests, and conflicting dates create easy grounds for a technical denial.

A Social Security disability claim denied at the initial level does not mean your case lacks merit. It often means the file needs stronger evidence, tighter organization, and a legal argument that speaks directly to the SSA’s five-step sequential evaluation process.

Don’t Let One Mistake Cost You Your Benefits

A Request for Reconsideration and hearing come with strict rules and deadlines, and small mistakes at either stage can carry real consequences. An experienced SSDI attorney can help identify the specific reason for your denial, request the right records from the right providers, and organize your case around the legal standard the judge must apply. 

Representation does not guarantee a particular outcome, but it can help you avoid the common errors that lead to unnecessary delays or a second denial.

Let the Law Offices of Jennifer R. Solomon Help

A disability claim denial is not the end of your case; it is the beginning of your appeal. Act within 60 days, request your claims file, gather updated medical evidence, and file a Request for Reconsideration. Then, secure experienced legal representation before you move forward with the appeal process. 

The Law Offices of Jennifer R. Solomon has spent more than a decade fighting for California claimants who refuse to accept “no” as the final answer. Attorney Jennifer Solomon brings deep knowledge of disability law and something more personal: firsthand experience caring for a family member with a disability, which means she knows what her clients face. Her team carries that understanding into every case, testing each piece of evidence before it goes into the record and refusing to rest until the evidence tells a story the SSA cannot ignore. 

Contact the Law Offices of Jennifer R. Solomon today to schedule your consultation and take the next step toward the benefits you deserve.

Legal References Used to Inform This Page

To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:

• Disability determinations, 42 U.S.C. § 421(a)(2024).
• How to request reconsideration, 20 C.F.R. § 404.909 (2026). 
• Social Security Administration, Form SSA-561-U2, Request for Reconsideration (2024), ssa.gov.
• SSA’s five-step sequential evaluation, 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4) (2026).