Social Security Disability Award Letter Following an Approval   "My friend received her decision letter on Sept. 14 and still has not received an award letter or any benefits. They also told her that each time she calls and they note it in the system that it causes a further delay in the processing of her benefits and gets handed off to someone new. Is there anything that can be done to speed them along? What are her legal rights?" It is difficult to give you an answer to this question because I do not know at which level in the disability process your friend received her decision letter. I find it hard to believe that she would get approved at the disability application or reconsideration appeal level, receive a letter 09/14, and still not be in pay status. Which, leads me to believe that your friend received her decision from an administrative law judge and that her claim was forwarded to a payment center for processing. Most hearing decisions have to be manually processed by payment centers, and there are things that can delay processing. For instance, did your friend have workman's compensation benefits or has she received anything from the SSI program? If an individual receives any benefits from the SSI disability program it creates a windfall offset that could take more time to process. Or, if she has received no pay, has any additional information been requested from her? Unfortunately, she has no legal recourse with this kind of situation and there may be some truth to what you mentioned, that every time she calls there may be more of a delay in the processing. When calls are received, there is an automatic input to get someone to take a look at the situation and that may mean it gets passed on to another person for review. They may not be saying that as a "threat", it may simply be the truth. It is unlikely at this point that there is anything she can do to speed the processing along. She could have her congressperson check the status of the claim...there is no guarantee this will speed it along but sometimes it does help once a medical decision has been made. Like I said, this is conjecture as I have no specifics about your friend's disability claim. Related: The SSI Award Letter from Social Security How long will it take to start getting disability after you receive an award notice? When Do You Get A Social Security Disability Award Letter And What Does It Say? The Social Security Award Notice after Disability Benefits are Awarded About the Author: Tim Moore is a former Social Security Disability Examiner in North Carolina, has been interviewed by the NY Times and the LA Times on the disability system, and is an Accredited Disability Representative (ADR) in North Carolina. For assistance on a disability application or Appeal in NC, click here. Most popular topics on SSDRC.com Social Security Disability in North Carolina Common Mistakes to avoid after being denied for Disability Tips to Prepare for Filing for Social Security Disability or SSI Advice to Win SSD and SSI Benefit Claims Social Security Disability SSI Questions What is the difference between Social Security Disability and SSI? How to get disability for depression Getting disability for fibromyalgia SSI disability for children with ADHD What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI? Social Security Disability SSI Exam tips More Social Security Disability SSI Questions What makes you eligible for Social Security Disability or SSI? Related pages: How to file for disability in Washington Why Does Social Security Disability Care About My Daily Activities? Using an RFC form to win a disability case Using an RFC form to qualify for disability at a hearing What to say at a Social Security Exam What medical conditions can I get disability for? Using a letter from a doctor at a disability hearing When to appeal a denial of SSD or SSI benefits Can you qualify for disability with a bulging disc? Steps and Tips for requesting a disability hearing Preparation to win a disability hearing How to file for disability in Hawaii What are the chances of winning a Social Security Disability Benefits hearing? When Do You Get A Social Security Disability Award Letter And What Does It Say? How Does Social Security Decide If You Are Disabled