Speaking of, did any of the vital documents kept in that fabled safe survive the fire? It would just be so appropriately Chandlerian if the autism papers/lifelong meal ticket got disposed of in the clean-up.
The SSA rates disability under three categories as to whether it's
likely to improve. There's "expected," "possible," and "not expected." I am of the opinion, as an educated guess, that Chris is in the "not expected" category and reviews are likely to be infrequent.
"Not expected," your case will normally be reviewed no sooner than seven years.
The applicable standard for discontinuation of benefits is "medical improvement," specifically, has the recipient medically improved in a manner relevant to their ability to work such that they no longer qualify for disability benefits, i.e. are capable of performing substantial gainful activity (SGA), which is holding down any sort of full-time job that exists in the national economy. Generally, this requires evidence of improvement, as the previous adjudication of disability is presumed to have been valid in the absence of some evidence in the record showing that it was erroneous. Even in these cases, they'd still have to show you're capable of SGA.
Some things would justify discontinuing benefits in the absence of specific medical evidence. For instance, if someone actually
is performing SGA, that speaks for itself. Failure to cooperate with the continuing disability review, committing fraud on the SSA, failure to comply with medical treatment, or not being able to be found would also justify discontinuation.
Sometimes the SSA will affirmatively investigate when they have cause to believe fraud, and sometimes, will just become aware of it through other means. Evidence in cases like this might be that the guy who is claiming he can't walk more than ten feet just got arrested for beating up three cops, is working as an acrobat, things like that. Or get a clean bill of health from his own doctor.
But unless something specific comes up, Chris probably keeps getting disability. He hasn't improved. If anything, he's deteriorated. Only if the SSA actually showed improvement would he be required to pony up any evidence on his own behalf. ETA: Or, of course, if he got caught committing fraud or otherwise playing silly buggers.
(I used to transcribe appeals of disability hearings and have heard hundreds of hours of these things. So while I double-checked the facts on the SSA site and others, my opinions about how these things work is mostly generalizations from personal knowledge.)
