This information may help social security disability claimants with representation, as well as claimants who are not represented by a disability attorney or non attorney representative. Understanding how the social security disability system works can make the difference between winning or not winning the ssd or ssi benefits to which a person is entitled. |
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It's very common to hear a social security disability or ssi disability claimant state that their personal physician is "100% behind me getting my disability benefits"...only to later discover that the claimant's treating physician was not particularly helpful, or, worse, not supportive at all.
Very often, this comes to light as a disability claimant, or usually a claimant's representative, is preparing a case for a hearing to be held before an administrative law judge. At that point, attempts will be made to gather medical records as well as a supportive statement (i.e. medical source statement, RFC, residual functional capacity form) from the physician. The claimant and the claimant's representative may find that the Dr.'s office is somewhat unresponsive to requests for medical records (crucial to winning a case). They may also find that the doctor is unwilling to complete an RFC form (though, in all fairness, a large percentage of doctor's will complete such a form, if asked). Why do docs tell their patients that they support a patient's case for social security disability or ssi and then later, when their help is needed, become as visible as a fly on the wall? In some cases, it may be that the doctor does not consider the patient to be disabled at all, regardless of whatever statements they have made to the contrary (though it is distressing to hear, doctors will often say one thing to a claimant's face and "say" something else in their medical records). In other cases, the claimant's doctor may run an especially busy practice and may not wish to devote a portion of their time to a social security disability or ssi claimant's case. In either case, however, this is not the disability claimant's problem. In other words, if a patient does not have a doctor who will support their claim for benefits, via their medical treatment notes or through the completion of a medical source statement/RFC, they should consider switching to a doctor who does. This may simply mean, in some cases, finding a physician with a smaller practice who is willing to devote more one-to-one time to patients. How can a social security disability or ssi claimant discern whether or not their doctor will support their case? This may become very apparent when the medical provider refuses to provide a statement supporting their case. However, a disability claimant does not have to wait this long. In some instances, a brief conversation with one's doctor may settle the issue quickly. In other instances, it may be that a claimant's/patient's personal review of their own medical records will inform them of the extent to which their provider will be helpful...or not. The bottom line is simply this: social security disability and ssi cases take too long to pursue, and are too hard to fight, only to find at the last moment that a doctor will not be supportive of a patient's claim for ssd or ssi disability benefits. Disability Advocates Help with Claims Free Case Evaluation |
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SOCIAL SECURITY LAWYER - SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY LAWYER REFERRAL ANSWERS TO YOUR SSD & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 1 ANSWERS TO YOUR SSD & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 2 |
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If you suffer from a medical disability such as hip, neck, shoulder, ankle, wrist, back, or other joint problems, disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, rsi or repetetive stress injury, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, dysthymia, depression or other mood disorders, congestive or chronic heart failure, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, high blood pressure (hypertension), seizure disorder, stroke, copd, emphysema, hearing loss or poor hearing, statutory blindness, peripheral field problems or other vision loss, clinical obesity, attention deficit hyperactivity or, simply, adhd, bipolar disorder or manic depression, panic disorder, schizophrenia, autism, head trauma, memory loss, low iq, mental retardation, learning disability, epilepsy, cancer, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis, lupus, anxiety, inner ear problems, meniere's, vertigo or dizziness, kidney failure requiring dialysis or other renal problems, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or other liver disease, pancreatitis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, rsd or reflex sympathetic dystrophy, crohn's disease, sarcoidosis, peripheral vascular disease, lyme disease, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, hiv, aids, anemia, sickle cell, thyroid problems including hypothyroidism, esrd or end stage renal disease, reflux, gerd (gastroesophageal reflux disease), cfids, muscular dystrophy, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, or tachycardia, bradycardia or other arrhythmia and have initiated or been denied on a social security disability, or ssi, claim for benefits, this site may assist you with your case. Social Security Disability benefits are often difficult to win; however many claims for social security disability are lost simply because a claimant did not know enough about the disability process to their social security or ssi claim. For information re: representation on a social security disability or ssi claim (attorney or non attorney representative), see the "questions" & "how" pages. |
| Questions about Social Security Disability Information on how to get social security disability |