Original Article Here. From the Disability Benefits Center website:

An overwhelming 70 percent of applicants are disappointed when their disability applications are denied by the SSA. What happens when a disability application is turned down by the SSA? Do these applicants need to find other ways to financially support themselves and their families? If your application for disability benefits has been denied by the SSA, do not give up hope. You may still receive the disability benefits you need to make ends meet. You just need to know what to do and where to turn. If your Social Security Disability claim is one of the 70 percent that are denied during the initial application process, keep the following advice in mind.

Appeal the Denial

Many applicants make one of two mistakes after receiving a notice of denial from the SSA. Some will give up hope of receiving the disability benefits they so desperately need. Others will just try to re-apply for Social Security Disability benefits all over again. Neither of these choices is wise.

If your application for Social Security Disability benefits is turned down, giving up is never a good idea. A mere thirty percent of applications are approved at the initial stage of the disability application process, whereas more than half of the applicants who pursue the disability appeal process go on to receive Social Security Disability payments in the future.

Re-applying for disability benefits with the SSA is not the best course of action. While it is true that the appeal process takes longer than the initial application process, if you re-apply for benefits rather than pursuing the appeal process, chances are that your application will just be denied again and you will, eventually, have to endure the appeal process if you hope to receive Social Security Disability payments at some point in the future.

Seek Out Legal Help

If you have been denied Social Security Disability benefits during the initial application stage of the application process, you should seek out help prior to filing an appeal. Hiring a Social Security Disability attorney can significantly increase your chances of receiving a favorable decision during the disability appeal process.

Many people decide not to hire a disability lawyer because they feel that it is not within their financial means to do so. After all, legal help can be expensive and those who are applying for disability benefits are usually suffering from financial hardships. The good news is that it does not have to cost you any up-front, out-of-pocket expense to obtain the legal services you need.

Social Security Disability lawyers work on a contingency basis, receiving a portion of the back pay that you are awarded by the SSA. When you hire a lawyer to represent you during the disability appeal process, your lawyer will receive either 25-percent of your disability back payment or $6,000 (whichever is less). This not only makes it affordable to hire the legal representation you need, but it also gives your attorney some personal motivation to win your disability case, since they do not get paid if you are nor awarded benefits.

If you are one of the 70 percent of applicants who have been denied disability benefits, the good news is that nearly two-thirds of applicants are awarded benefits at their disability hearing. Statistics show that your chances of winning your appeal are significantly increased when you have a lawyer representing you at this hearing.

Remember, you only have 60 days from the date you receive your determination letter from the SSA to appeal the decision to deny your benefits. If your claim for benefits has been denied, contact a Social Security Disability attorney as soon as possible to begin the disability appeal process.