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. |
|
Whenever possible, a claimant for social security disability (also known as ssd or ssdi) or ssi benefits should obtain copies of their medical records and submit them with their application or appeal. There are at least two very good reasons for doing this. First, when a disability claim is being handled at the initial or reconsideration level, it is processed by a disability examiner at Disability Determination Services (to learn more about DDS and examiners, go to the definitions page). However, the Disability Examiner at DDS is not always successful in obtaining all the necessary records. In fact, it is not unusual for examiners to make decisions on claims when not all of the medical evidence has been obtained. This takes place when the medical evidence that has been received is deemed "sufficient enough" for the purposes of deciding a disability claim. It also happens when a disability examiner simply has no success in getting the records from a particular doctor's office, clinic, or hospital (many medical offices receive hundreds of medical records requests each month and this, in part, accounts for those types of delays). Second, most of the processing time required to make a decision on a social security disability or ssi case is actually due to waiting on medical records. And this is simple enough to understand. Before a claimant's records are obtained, there is nothing with which to evaluate a social security disability or ssi claim. Because the wait for records in most cases will be long, and because DDS examiners are graded according to how fast they process their work, cases "landing" on a disability examiner's desk with all the records attached tend to be the cases that get worked on immediately. From an examiner's point of view, cases that arrive with the medical records are looked at as bonuses. What does this say to an ssd or ssi claimant? By getting and submitting the records yourself when you apply or appeal, or having your attorney or non attorney representative do this for you, you can ensure that all of your records are evaluated, and that your social security disability case will not sit around for months longer than necessary. Disability Advocates Help with Claims Free Case Evaluation |
|
SOCIAL SECURITY LAWYER - SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY LAWYER REFERRAL ANSWERS TO YOUR SSD & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 1 ANSWERS TO YOUR SSD & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 2 |
| Copyright © 2003 DISABILITYSECRETS.COM |
|
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 How to qualify for social security disability |