Medical Records are very important to your Social Security Disability success

Medical records are probably the most important part of a social security disability case. The more documentation you have, the easier it is to win. It’s also important to know that a specialist is better than a family doctor. 

The Social Security Administration expects patients to be treated by doctors who have experience working with your particular impairment. For example, if you have a heart problem, you may need the care of a cardiologist. For an immune impairment, such as rheumatoid arthritis, you may need the specialized care of a Rheumatologist.  Similarly, for a Psychiatric impairment, such as bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety, seek out the care of a psychiatrist, psychologist, or qualified therapist.  Social Security may give more credence to the opinion of a specialist in your particular condition rather than a general practitioner.

Be as precise and descriptive as possible when visiting your doctor. This will help your doctor keep your doctor informed as to how your various conditions affect you and will allow your doctor to provide better treatment. Social Security also will look to what your doctor has documented about your conditions to determine how your impairments affect your functioning. Of course, medical problems are not always manifested in symptoms alone. That’s why your doctor’s examination, blood work, MRIs, and other tests are invaluable to not only to your health but your Social Security Disability claim.

Visit your doctors as often as necessary. Follow your doctor’s orders concerning how often you need an appointment based upon your conditions and the necessary treatment.  A failure to follow prescribed treatment not only can have negative health consequences, but can negatively affect your Social Security disability claim.

If you are thinking about applying for Social Security disability, it is in your best interest to get appointments with your doctors before you apply, so you can discuss your problems and find out if the doctor will help you. If you wait until after you apply for benefits, and then have to wait for an appointment with doctor, Social Security may make a disability decision before you get that appointment.

Let the doctor know you'll be applying for Social Security disability, but don't assume your doctor understands the Social Security disability process, which is a complex system. It takes other doctors working for Social Security years to fully understand federal medical policies. It is important to explain to the doctor that you are not requesting an opinion about whether you are disabled. This will be good news to your doctor, who is probably tired of receiving blame from patients about their disability claims sometimes being denied.

The major problem I have seen is a disconnect between the doctor and their disability-seeking patients.  The issue of disability is seldom discussed by doctor and patient, and most patients either really don’t know whether their doctor supports their claim for social security disability or wrongly believe their doctor does support their disability application.  The point of this conversation is to get your doctor’s true opinion, not to persuade or convince her that you are disabled.  Make it clear to your doctor that you are seeking her opinion on your ability to do work-related activities.

Be totally honest about your condition.  If you and your doctor have been together for a while and have pursued different treatments and therapies, tell him/her in what ways you have improved under her care.  People seldom see no improvement from medical treatment, and your doctor will be pleased his/ her efforts have given you some benefit.  Be precise about the areas of your work-related functioning (sitting, standing, walking, dealing with stress, pain, etc) that you think keep you from working.

Your goal is to secure written documentation of your doctor’s opinion of your ability to perform work-related activity, but you’ll be wondering “what does my doctor need to fill out for disability?” or “how do I ask my doctor to write my disability letter?”

DO NOT let your doctor simply “give you a disability letter".  Doctors do not know what social security needs, and will in all likelihood give you a terse, conclusory disability letter that will not win the day with social security. Your doctor saying your disabled also does not help because it is up to the social security judge to determine disability. You want the doctor to give you restrictions. 

Rather, you need for your doctor to complete a Medical Source Statement.  If you have an attorney, this is something your attorney can provide to the doctor.

Your goal is to secure your doctor’s promise to complete a form that documents her opinion of your ability to perform work-related activity.  Leave it to your social security disability attorney as to what that form will be.

Another thing that the Social Security Administration looks for is consistency. If you’re being treated at different places and are making the same complaints, it helps your case. For example, if you have a bad back and go to the hospital because you fell and broke your finger, you need to mention your bad back when they take your history. 

If you need helping applying for Social Security Disability or SSI, please contact me at joshben99@gmail.com. I have over 25 years experience with Social Security Disability cases.