What happens at this stage
The initial application is the first formal step in your SSDI claim. You file with the Social Security Administration (online at ssa.gov, by phone, or in person at a local SSA field office), and SSA forwards your application to Colorado’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) in Denver for the medical decision.
A DDS adjudicator and a medical consultant review your medical records, work history, and supporting documentation. They determine whether you meet SSA’s definition of disability: a medically determinable impairment expected to last at least 12 months (or result in death) that prevents you from doing any substantial gainful activity.
The decision arrives by mail typically 7 to 10 months after filing in Colorado in 2026. Nationally about 35% of initial applications are approved. The remaining 65% are denied — but a denial here is not the end of the case. It’s the start of a typical appeals path that ultimately results in approval at the ALJ hearing stage for the majority of properly developed cases.
What you need to do
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Gather your medical records
Get records from every doctor, hospital, therapist, and specialist who has treated you in the last 5 years. Include imaging reports (MRI, CT, X-ray), lab results, surgical reports, and any functional capacity evaluations. Quality of medical documentation is the single biggest factor in initial approval.
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Document your work history
List every job you’ve held in the last 15 years with start/end dates, employer names and addresses, job titles, and a brief description of duties. Include the heaviest lifting, longest standing/sitting periods, and any specialized skills required. SSA will use this to determine whether you can return to past work or perform other work in the national economy.
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List your medications and treatments
Document every prescription medication, over-the-counter regimen, and treatment modality (physical therapy, injections, surgery, etc.). Note side effects that affect work capacity — drowsiness, cognitive impact, fatigue.
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Complete the Function Report (SSA-3373) carefully
SSA will send you a Function Report asking detailed questions about daily activities. Answer honestly but completely — describe your bad days, not your best days. Include limitations: how long you can stand, sit, walk; ability to lift, carry, reach; cognitive challenges; how long basic tasks (showering, cooking, dressing) take. Inconsistencies between this report and your medical record can sink the case.
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Submit the application and follow up
File at ssa.gov/disability, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local SSA field office. After filing, keep records of every SSA contact, save every letter you receive, and respond promptly to any DDS requests for additional information.
What we do at this stage
At the initial application stage, our role is to make sure the application is complete and the medical record is fully developed before DDS reviews it. We:
- Request and organize all your medical records from treating providers
- Identify gaps in the record (missing imaging, missing specialist evaluations) and recommend treatment or documentation steps
- Help complete the Function Report and work history forms accurately and persuasively
- Submit a brief to DDS framing the case under the relevant SSA Listing or medical-vocational analysis
- Communicate with DDS directly when they request additional information, so nothing falls through the cracks
Initial-stage representation often makes the difference between approval here and a 2-year appeals process. When the file arrives at DDS already organized and properly framed, adjudicators can decide favorably without sending the case down the appeals path.
Colorado-specific notes
Colorado’s DDS office is located in Denver and handles all in-state initial applications and reconsideration appeals. DDS adjudicators tend to follow SSA’s technical guidance closely — there’s little local discretion at this stage. The medical record either supports approval or it doesn’t.
One Colorado-specific tip: if you receive medical care at UCHealth, Denver Health, Centura, Kaiser, or any other major Front Range health system, your records are likely already digitized and easier to request. Rural Colorado claimants may face longer record-collection timelines and should start the request process immediately upon filing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file my SSDI application online?
Yes. Most claimants now file online at ssa.gov/disability. Online filing is generally faster and lets you save your progress. You can also file by phone (1-800-772-1213) or in person at a Colorado SSA field office.
When do my benefits start if I'm approved at the initial stage?
SSDI has a 5-month waiting period after your “established onset date” (the date SSA determines your disability began). Benefits begin in the 6th full month after that onset date. If your application takes 8 months to approve, retroactive benefits are paid back to the appropriate start date.
Should I include every doctor I've ever seen?
Focus on the last 5 years and on conditions relevant to your disability claim. A primary care doctor who treats your blood pressure isn’t critical to your back-pain SSDI claim — but the orthopedist who manages your back is. Quality over quantity: comprehensive records from treating specialists matter more than scattered visits to general practitioners.
How long does the initial decision take in Colorado in 2026?
Typically 7 to 10 months from filing. Some cases qualify for expedited review under the Compassionate Allowance program or Quick Disability Determination process and can be decided in 4-8 weeks.