• the nature of your disability;
• how quickly we obtain medical evidence from your doctor or other medical sources; and
• if we need to send you for a medical examination in order to obtain evidence to support your claim.
There are things you can do to help speed up the process. The more information you provide up front, the less time it will take us to obtain the evidence we need — and the faster your claim can be processed.
What information do we need?
• Any medical records or documentation you have is helpful. We can make copies of the records you have and return your originals;
• The names, addresses, and phone numbers for any doctors, medical facilities, treatment centers, or providers related to your disabling condition;
• The names, addresses, and phone numbers for previous employers and the dates worked for each employer;
• Workers’ compensation information, including the settlement agreement, date of injury, claim number, and proof of other disability benefits awarded;
• Names and dates of birth of your minor children and your spouse;
• Dates of marriages and divorces (if any);
• Checking or savings account number, and the bank’s 9-digit routing number, so we can deposit your payment electronically;
• Name, address, and phone number of a person we can contact if we are unable to get in touch with you.
If this disability application is for a child, we need the name, address, phone number of the schools attended and any school records you can provide.
We also ask you to sign release forms that give us permission to obtain the information needed from third parties to make a decision on your claim.
Ready to apply?
When you are ready to file, the best place is start is online at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability . You can also make an appointment by phone or in a Social Security office by calling 1-800-772-1213 7am to 7pm weekdays. The choice is yours. Note: For Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits, you cannot complete your application online, but you can still speed-up your claim processing time by completing our online forms at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi.