When applying for social security disability benefits, the person who will help you the most (aside from your attorney) is your medical professional. They have all the records, notes, and other information you need to prove both the existence and severity of your medical disability. If you want to have the highest chance of success in your initial application for SSDI or SSI, you need to know the exact documentation you need from your doctor.
Your records need to be timely, accurate, and highly detailed. If you want the SSA agent reviewing your application to understand the dense information at hand, these qualities are a must. Most doctors understand this when putting together documentation for your application, but it never hurts to remind them of these necessities.
For your medical documentation to be considered relevant by the SSA, it needs to come from a treating physician. The SSA defines a treating physician as someone who has provided you with medical treatment in the past, and who as an ongoing relationship with you. With this in mind, you should approach a doctor you’ve been consulted by multiple times. Thankfully, those who are treating a disability will likely already have a strong and consistent doctor-patient relationship with their treating physician.
Ultimately, the Disability Examiner in charge of your application will get in touch with you to ask for any medical records they need. Due to this, you will always be notified and given a change to provide such records before a final decision is made. However, each time this happens your application will take longer and longer to be decided upon. When you’re trying to receive benefits to help you live with your disability, you want to get through the process as fast as possible. With this in mind, it is imperative that you gather as much medical documentation as possible before filing your initial application.
Even with this information at hand, it is essential that you hire a disability attorney to help you prepare these records, and assist you with your overall case. For a firm that is passionate about getting you the benefits you need, go no further than The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur. If you’re ready to start your journey to a more comfortable life, please contact us at your convenience to set up a free consultation.
