How do I find out what is going on with my disability case in North Carolina?

by Tim Moore. Free Case Evaluation here.

My name is Tim Moore. I am a disability representative in North Carolina who assists individuals in getting their disability benefits established at the application, reconsideration appeal, and disability hearing levels. I am also a former disability examiner for North Carolina Disability Determination Services in Raleigh, the agency that makes disability determinations for Social Security. If you need assistance on your disability claim, or need help getting your claim started, call our office at 919-890-8519.

As a former examiner and now as a Representative, I have come across and continue to encounter many individuals who have applied for disability but have no idea what is going on with their case. If this is your situation, you are not unique and you are not alone. Social Security will often have cases for months without providing any update as to what is going on with a person’s case.

Here’s what to do if you need to find out what is happening with your case.

1. If you are not represented and you have just applied, calling the local Social Security office is best. Do not call the SSA 1-800 number. That number is staffed by people who often provide incorrect information. Most disability advocates such as myself have been aware of this fact for years.
2. If you applied sometime in the last few weeks or even months, the best place to call is DDS in Raleigh. When you call there, ask to speak to the disability examiner who has been assigned your case. They can update you and even tell you what they may be missing in order to make a decision. But here’s the problem with calling DDS. You often cannot get through on the phone.
3. If you have a Disability Representative such as myself, call that individual. They can contact Social Security or DDS and get your case status. They can also use an electronic system called ERE, or electronic records express, to find out if anything has been done on your case.
4. Never assume that hearing nothing for long periods if ok. It could be that everything is fine and they are still processing your case. Most often, this will be true. However, sometimes we find that Social Security has your wrong contact information or sent a notice that you did not receive. So status calls every so often are a good idea.