Tips From Attorneys For Dealing With Medical Documentation For Disability Benefits
Social Security Disability benefits really come in handy if you have a short-term or long-term disability that keeps you out of the work environment. Part of getting these benefits is gathering medical evidence, which you can do the right way if you use the following tips.
Make Sure Records Are Recent
The medical records that you gather to move your Social Security Disability case along need to be recent. If they are not, then gray areas could get in the way and cause delays. For instance, Social Security will not be able to tell if these dated medical records are still applicable to your disability and work situation. Whereas if you get medical records that are pretty recent, they will show a complete picture of the things you are dealing with. That will improve your odds of getting accepted a lot quicker.
Work With an Accepted Medical Source
In order for a professional's medical opinion on your disability to count towards your Social Security Disability case, they need to be on the accepted medical source list. There are a couple of professionals that this accepted list includes like podiatrists, physicians, optometrists, speech-language pathologists, and physician assistants.
If you are working with a medical professional that is not on this list, consider switching to a professional that is. Then you can use their opinions and medical assessments as evidence showing why you deserve compensation for the disability that is keeping you from going back to work.
Have Doctor Fill Out Medical Assessments
One thing Social Security will do pretty early on in the disability claim process is ask your treating physician to fill out medical assessments. They are intended to show the full extent of your disability and highlight how it is affecting your inability to continue working.
Since your physician likely treats many other patients, it may be best to remind them about your Social Security Disability case. You should make sure they get these medical assessments filled out and turned in to the correct parties so that you can get the benefits you need.
A fundamental step to take as soon as you pursue Social Security Disability is getting together the right medical documentation. You can have a more effective time with this stage of your disability case by seeing what forms are needed and working with the right professional from the beginning. For more information, contact a Social Security attorney.
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