Medical Evidence for your Social Security Disability Hearing

 Timely, Accurate, and Adequate Medical Evidence

To many times I speak with potential clients or people who are representing themselves and they have not gone to the right doctors or taken the proper tests or they have a hearing scheduled and they have not updated any of their medical records. People expect social security to update their medical records. Social Security does not update medical records once the case is at hearing stage unless you ask for help. You are expected to update your own medical records. You must submit all the medical records whether they are favorable or unfavorable to your case. You must have all medical records filed at least 5 business days prior to your hearing. 

Providing the Social Security Administration with timely, accurate, and adequate medical evidence will not only increase your chances for approval for your initial application but also will also greatly reduce or potentially eliminate the need for the SSA to gather additional medical documentation from your doctors and typically will speed up the application process.

Timely records: The SSA prefers that you have “timely” or recent, up-to-date medical evidence on your condition. This means the medical evidence is no older than six months old. Older documentation and records are still very important, as the SSA likes to see “longitudinal” medical records (medical evidence from your medical history) when determining the severity of your condition. Longitudinal medical records are necessary for approval of retroactive disability back pay in SSDI cases.

Accurate records: All medical records that correctly describe your condition. If the SSA finds inconsistent records among your medical documents, they will not consider the evidence during evaluation since the evidence was deemed inaccurate. For example, if your treating doctor’s records indicate you can not pick up objects weighing 10 pounds or more but another exercise record states you can pick up weight well over 10 pounds, the SSA will not consider the evidence.

Adequate records: Are medical records that have enough accurate, detailed information for the SSA to be able to confidently make a medical conclusion about your functional limitations and the severity of your condition. If the SSA believes your medical records are not adequate enough, the SSA will either request more evidence from your doctors or will ask you to attend a consultative exam.

If you need helping applying for Social Security Disability or SSI, please contact me at joshben99@gmail.com. I have over 20 years experience with Social Security Disability cases. 

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