3 THINGS TO HELP YOU GET SSDI BENEFITS

While getting Social Security disability benefits is never going to be easy, here are 3 things you can do to increase your chances for approval.

1.  Update Your Medical Information 

Social Security always bases their decisions primarily on what is contained in your medical records.  When completing your application, be sure to list and provide the full address for every doctor, clinic, hospital, psychologist or other medical provider you have seen for any long-term medical condition.  Social Security obtains medical records only from the medical providers you list on the application.  If you omit a doctor, hospital or other provider, the records are not obtained.  

2.  Have Your Doctor List Specific Restrictions

Most doctors use a standard form for recording patient information.  There are 4 categories on most of the reporting forms that doctors use:

• Complaints
• Examination
• Diagnosis
• Treatment

There is no space on most doctor's forms to note restrictions of daily activities or limitations in work related activities.  In short, the doctor usually will not make a record of what you can and cannot do functionally.  For example, he or she will not state that you cannot lift more than 10 pounds, reach overhead or stand more than 1 hour at a time.  It takes an effort on the patient's part to get this information into the doctor's records.  But this is exactly the type of information Social Security wants when deciding whether you qualify for disability benefits.

If your records do not contain restrictions, you may ask your doctor to list your restrictions by providing a Medical Source Statement (form) or a Residual Functional Capacity opinion (form).

3.  Hire a Laywer 

In 2012, the Social Security Advisory Board found that people who hired an attorney to help them with their initial application were more likely to be awarded benefits.  A Government Accounting Office study in 2003 determined that people represented by an attorney at their hearing were more likely to win their case.  It just makes sense that a professional who is trained in Social Security regulations and who has handled hundreds of hearings can be expected to add value to a hearing.  Of course, having an attorney or representative never guarantees the outcome of an application or a hearing.  But you are looking at increased odds, not guarantees.