DISABILITY ONSET DATE

The Disability Onset Date (DOD) is the date that the claimant has met the evidentiary requirements to prove "disability" as defined by the Social Security law.

This date is important for two reasons.  One, if the onset date is after the claimant's 50th birthday, Medical-Vocational Guidelines may mandate a finding of disability and payment of benefits.

Second, if the DOD is after the claimant's "Date Last Insured," the claimant is not insured by Social Security and is not entitled to a benefit no matter how disabled.

Another reason for accurately establishing the Disability Onset Date is that it directly affects when Social Security begins to pay benefits.  Earlier DODs get larger back pay checks and earlier access to Medicare health insurance.

To avoid confusing my readers, I will tell you that Social Security uses other names for the Date of Disability, including:

AOD:  Alleged Onset Date - the date the claimant alleges to have become disabled; however, this date has not been proven yet.

EOD:  Established Onset Date - the date Social Security has accepted as the office date the disability began.  In other words, the date which has been proven.

So, in any disability application or hearing, there are two major points to prove:  One, that the claimant meets the rules for disability and, two, the date on which the claimant first met the rules.
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The Forsythe Firm
7027 Old Madison Pike, Suite 108
Huntsville, AL 35806
CALL (256) 799-0297