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In many cases, Social Security Disability (SSD) applicants can reduce the time it takes to receive a decision on their claim if they come to their disability application interview well-prepared. In this regard, of course, we are referring to work history and medical history information. The more of this type of information that you supply up front to the Social Security claims rep (CR) at your local social security office, the more developed your file will be when it is forwarded to Disability Determination Services (DDS), the state agency that makes decisions on all Social Security disability applications and SSI disability applications. However, what information do you need to provide simply to get your claim started when you initially apply? Some basic documents and pieces of information that the CR must have before forwarding a claim to DDS include an original birth certificate (not a copy), a social security card, a medical history, and a work history. Ideally, the medical treatment information should include up-to-date contact information, including current addresses and phone numbers for treating physicians. Work history information should include job titles, dates worked on a job, and a detailed description of the duties for each job performed. Qualifying for disability benefits involves satisfying both medical and non-medical criteria (such as proof of identity, insured status, income, and, in the case of SSI, assets). Assuming you meet the non-medical requirements for disability, you must be able to demonstrate that you have a severe impairment that is not expected to improve for at least one year. The only way to prove the severity of your medical impairment is through medical record documentation, and that is why it is so important to provide a detailed, up-to-date medical history to the CR at your interview. The CR forwards your claim to DDS so that the disability examiner assigned to your case can begin evaluating your claim. Typically, the first action performed by the examiner will be to start gathering your medical records. This can be a time-consuming task, as physicians are often slow to respond to records requests for disability matters. By and large, the process of gathering medical records is what delays decisions on disability cases. The average time it takes to hear back from DDS on a disability claim is 3 to 4 months, but it can take 6 months to a year if the examiner has difficulty obtaining records or if other extenuating circumstances are involved. To help your case move more quickly, it is generally not a bad idea to gather your own medical records and bring a copy of them to your disability application interview. (Always give a complete copy of all your records to Social Security rather than the originals to guarantee that the disability examiner who receives your case gets everything you intended). Note that any medical records you provide to social security should include past medical records that establish your date of onset, as well as your most recent medical records to indicate that you are currently impaired. You may also want to include a list of current medications when you go to your disability application interview, in addition to a list of your medical treatment sources and a list of your past jobs. 
Social Security Disability and SSI Disability Information
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