In several posts now, we have told California readers about the Social Security Disability backlog and how difficult it can be for people who need benefits to get their applications approved.
We have given you the numbers -- an estimated 750,000 people across the country are waiting for a hearing -- but now, we want to take a look at the human element of this story.
By "human element," we mean people like the mother of two who had to stop working after her breast cancer spread to other parts of her body. She has said she would have liked to keep working, but the sheer number of medical appointments, to say nothing of the toll the treatments took on her, made that impossible.
The woman said she thought Social Security Disability would cover her basic needs, but her claim was denied without explanation. She has been waiting about a year now, with neither a paycheck nor disability payments to help support her.
We are not relating this story to make anyone sad. Rather, we are relating it is because it shows that the Social Security Disability backlog is not just a long waiting list of faceless applications -- it's a long list of people who need help and are not getting it, or are not getting it fast enough. Hopefully, that is a fact known to our elected officials and those who have the power to address the issue.
Source: The Arizona Republic, "Social Security disability applications backlogged," Ryan Randazzo, Dec. 2, 2012
- In our Santa Clara County law office, we often help clients file for Social Security Disability benefits. We invite you to visit the Social Security Disability benefits portion of our website if you are interested in gathering more information.
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