When you fill out a Social Security application, you need to cite the date you became disabled. This date is called the alleged onset date (AOD). If you are approved for benefits, the Social Security Administration will then decide what it believes to be your established onset date (EOD)—when they think your disability really began.
If the alleged onset date and the established onset date differ greatly—the Administration believes the established onset date is past the alleged onset date—you could lose some of your back payments.
When to Appeal the Established Onset Date
If you disagree with the EOD, you have the option of appealing the decision. However, before you do, you should know these key pieces of information:
- You risk being denied benefits. When you appeal the EOD, another reviewer takes a look at your claim. If he believes the previous Social Security agent approved your benefits by mistake, he could start another review, and your benefits could be revoked.
- The Administration does make mistakes. It’s not uncommon for a claims examiner to make a mistake. And with so many applications to review, it makes sense that someone could incorrectly process a date and reduce the amount of back pay you receive. You may believe that a mistake was made; however, proving this mistake on your own can be difficult.
- New medical evidence can help. If you failed to submit medical evidence that supports your AOD, or you were given new information that could support your claim, you may want to appeal the decision. The Administration may award benefits based on this new information.
Don’t Attempt an Appeal on Your Own
If you thought the application process was difficult, you may find appealing a decision even more challenging. Fortunately, you don’t have to take on this task alone. The attorneys of Johnson and Gilbert have helped many in the Daytona Beach area with their appeals and may be able to do the same for you.
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