SSD Disability: Should I Look For A Sympathetic Doctor?

The ALJ granted me a fully favorable decision.  I have a couple of questions.  I was told that my file is marked for possible quality control review. What are the chances something like that would happen, and are the chances good the ALJ decision could be reversed?

Also I was told after 12 months you get a review of some sort, after which they determine whether to review you annually, or every 7 years. My doctors in Florida were extremely helpful in support of my claim, but my doctors here in Indiana are not.

Should I look for different doctors, and if so whats the best way to find a doctor that will be sympathetic?

As far as quality control reviews are concerned, this is handled by an external section known as DQB, or Disability Quality Branch. DQB pulls a small percentage of DDS Examiner-processed cases. Allegedly, this is done randomly. However, in many, if not most, cases disability examiners will express the suspicion that DQB tends to look at cases marked for approval more so than denied claims.

Can the quality control process result in a decision being reversed? Absolutely. But even if this happens, a disability claimant will have no way of knowing if a reversal took place...and if it did whether or not an approval became a denial or vice-versa.

Regarding reviews of your ssd or ssi case after you've been approved and placed on benefit receipt, this actually happens with every disability case.  Essentially, the process works like this: in cases for which medical improvement is expected, a review will or may be conducted in a year's time; in cases for which medical improvement is possible, a review will or may be conducted in three years time; in cases for which medical improvement is not expected, a review will or may be conducted in seven years time.

Should you look for doctors that are sympathetic? Yes, you definitely should. The sad fact is: many doctors do not give their patients much of their time or consideration. In fact, in many instances, doctors will not even support a patient's disability case by simply taking fifteen minutes to fill out a form for a patient's state or federal disability claim, short or long term disability claim, or social security disability or ssi claim. Bottom line: if your doctor is unwilling to help you, you should consider finding another doctor.

But once you find a supportive doctor, try to stay with that individual in order to maintain a consistent record of medical treatment.