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If you are filing for Social Security Disability or SSI, be sure to make a complete copy of your medical records before handing them off to the claims rep (CR) conducting your initial interview. Often claimants make the mistake of bringing a pile of medical records to Social Security and asking the CR to make a copy of them for their file, but what they don’t realize is that claims reps typically copy only 10 to 15 pages of anything given to them. Social Security claims representatives have a huge volume of cases to process, and have neither the time nor, frankly, the inclination to stand about making copious copies. Therefore, in the interest of saving time and money, they copy only the most recent records, or the first 10 to 15 pages. If you’ve gone to the trouble of gathering your medical records and believe they are necessary to prove that you are disabled, do not sabotage your case by failing to prepare a complete copy of them, ready to hand off to the claims rep in its entirety. The idea here is to make sure that the state disability examiner who decides your claim has all the information needed to make a fair decision (all SSD/SSI disability matters are decided by disability examiners who work for your state disability determination services [DDS] agency). Of course, if the claims rep only puts copies of the first 10 to 15 pages of your medical records in your file, then that is all the disability examiner will have to go on. In most cases, this will not provide an accurate picture of your medical condition, and may exclude information that is critical to the outcome of your case, such as the date of onset (when your condition first began) and how your symptoms may have developed, or worsened, over time. If you have no medical records to hand off to the claims rep at your interview, then Social Security will request them for you, but it’s always best if you provide them up front. Why? Because it can take a long time for physicians to comply with requests for records in disability matters, and a disability examiner cannot make a decision without them. It takes, on average, three to four months to receive a decision from DDS. Why delay a decision if it is not absolutely necessary? In addition, if you gather your own medical records you can keep a copy for yourself and review them as often as needed—it’s best to have a good handle on exactly what they say about your limitations. However, it’s not always possible, and almost never easy, to gather medical records. If you can’t, just be sure to provide a detailed medical history naming all relevant sources of medical treatment, including up-to-date names, addresses, and phone numbers, so Social Security can send a medical records request out as soon as possible. 1. Why Should You Use a Lawyer When Filing For A Social Security Disability Appeal? 2. What Can You Do to Help Your Chances of Receiving Social Security Disability Benefits? 3. Why You Should File for Disability ASAP 4. The Social Security Hearing Process 5. Qualifying for Disability Benefits means you must have a Severe Impairment 6. Appealing a Disability Denial Instead of Filing a New Claim 7. What is Social Security Disability and what is SSI? 8. Can Someone Get Social Security Disability For Type II Bipolar Disorder? 9. How Likely Would I Be To Qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits? 10. Can Someone Claim Social Security Disability if They Have Never Worked? 11. What Happens at a Physical Exam for Social Security Disability or SSI? 12. Social Security Disability Appeal Deadlines 13. Social Security Disability Work Credits 14. SSI Child Disability Claim 15. Lawyer for a Disability Hearing 16. Social Security Disability and Being Disabled 17. Questions on a Social Security Disability Mental Exam 18. Social Security Interview — What Is Needed 19. Filing A Social Security Appeal 20. Is Bipolar Disorder a Disability? 21. Is Degenerative Disc Disease a Disability? 22. Is Depression a Disability? 23. Is Fibromyalgia a Disability? 24. Is Lupus a Disability? 25. Are Migraines a Disability? 26. IS SLEEP APNEA A DISABILITY? 27. Is Sarcoidosis a Disability? 28. Is PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder a Disability? 29. Is Agoraphobia a Disability? 30. Will a Disability Reconsideration Be Approved? 31. What Does a Social Security Administrative Judge Do for disability cases? 32. Social Security Disability Eligibility - Disabled Requirements 33. The Second Social Security Disability Appeal is the Hearing 34. Who Will Qualify for SSI Disability? 35. Social Security Disability Second Appeal 36. Social Security Disability and Age 37. Social Security Disability—What If I Move? 38. Social Security Disability Work History 39. Being Represented at a Disability Hearing 40. Why is a judge more likely to approve disability benefits? 41. Why Are Disability Cases Denied? 42. Doctor Help for a Disability Case 43. Will I Receive Disability Backpay? 44. Can I Collect Unemployment While Waiting For Social Security Disability? 45. What does it take to qualify for disability with diabetes? 46. When Do You Get Back Pay From Social Security? 47. Are Your Chances to Win Your Social Security Disability Appeal Better With a Lawyer? 48. How Much Impact Will a Social Security Doctor Have on a Claim? 49. If I Qualify for Social Security Disability, Will I be Able to get Food stamps 50. Can You Get Social Security for Chronic Heart Failure? 51. How Do I Write a Social Security Disability Appeal Letter? 52. Is Hepatitis C a Disability? 53. How Do I Get the Status of My SSI Claim? 54. Will Social Security Call Me When a Decision is Made on My Case? 55. I Was Awarded SSI Disability- Will I get Medicaid? 56. Is There a List of Medical Conditions That You Can get SSI for? Applications for Disability-How Many are Approved?Generally, it is difficult to be approved for Social Security and/or Supplemental Security Income disability (SSI) at the initial claim level. However, that is not to say that individuals are not approved at the initial disability claim’s level. Statistical data indicates that the average nationwide approval rate for initial disability claims about 35 percent.If you are denied, you should appeal your disability denial decision immediately. You have sixty-five days from the date of your denial notice to get your appeal to your local Social Security office. You can do that by filing your appeal via the internet, at your local Social Security office, or by mail. No matter which method of appeal you choose to use, make sure that you complete and return all necessary forms. If your initial disability claim is denied you file a request for reconsideration; do not be discouraged if your disability claim is denied again. Frankly, only about ten to fifteen percent of request for reconsideration appeals are approved. So what do you do if your reconsideration request is denied? If you reconsideration appeal is denied, you file a request for an administrative law judge hearing. More individuals are approved for disability at the administrative law judge hearing level than any other, in fact, by most estimates about sixty-six percent of all administrative law judge hearings are approvals. And, as you can see by the above mentioned statistical estimates your disability claim is likely to be approved if you follow the Social Security disability appeal process. Unfortunately, many individuals give up on their disability claims after their initial denial. |
