Michael Sheldon of Cortez, Colo. suffered severe injuries after his road-paving truck flipped on the job in 2006, hurling him headfirst toward a mound of boulders. He waited 14 years for disability benefits. (Corey Robinson for The Washington Post/For The Washington Post)

The WP writes about the trend of Social Security denials, like that of Michael Sheldon, who suffered a severe accident and was left unable to work due to debilitating injuries. Despite multiple surgeries and significant medical evidence supporting his disability claim, the Social Security Administration repeatedly denied him full disability benefits for over a decade. Even after federal judges identified errors in his case and ordered new hearings, the agency continued to reject his claim. Sheldon’s story is not unique, as thousands of disabled Americans endure lengthy battles for benefits, even after court rulings in their favor. Federal judges have criticized the Social Security Administration for legal errors, inaccurate assessments, failure to consider medical evidence, and factual mistakes. Approval rates for benefits have declined across all levels of review, making it difficult for claimants to continue fighting after losing their appeals at the Social Security level.

Source: Federal courts send hundreds of Social Security disability cases back due to errors, wrong denials – The Washington Post