Your doctor can make or break your disability case. ![orthopedics.jpg]()
One carefully-worded statement of support could be enough to sway Social Security administrators to give you the approval stamp. But a doctor who doesn't support you in this could end up being a big part of the reason your claim is denied.
Los Angeles Social Security Disability Attorney Vincent Howard of HOWARD LAW knows it's important to know where your doctor stands.
Keep in mind too that even if your doctor does support you, often, she may not be aware of what you need from her. You may not know either. That's why having a qualified disability attorney is so key to the whole process.
Our attorneys can also let you know when it might be time to change doctors, if yours is not supportive or cooperative. Of course,this is not a decision you want to make lightly or frequently - constantly moving from one doctor to the next could actually hurt your chances of a successful claim. A lack of much history will render your newest doctor's opinion virtually useless.
But if you stay on with a doctor who is not responsive to your SSDI application, you risk being sent to a doctor chosen by the Social Security Administration - and guess how their results tend to skew? Not in your favor.
For the most part, SSDI and SSI claims can be won (or lost) pretty much entirely on your medical records. This means you have to provide them with extensive and detailed records and medical notes. This would include everything from lab reports to x-rays to MRIs to treatment notes. Another key piece of evidence would be a statement from your doctor, advocating support of your SSDI claim.
Bear in mind, though, a brief note from your doctor simply stating that you are disabled isn't likely to help much. What the administration needs from your doctor are specifics. So for example, they need to know how your doctor evaluates your ability to do things like sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, perform certain dexterous hand movements, reach above, lift certain amounts, perform simple, routine tasks. Ideally, your doctor's notes would also include information about your overall strength, your hand grip strength, your range of motion and your reflexes. The details might be a bit different, depending on the type of disability you are claiming.
But here's the biggest problem you will face: Doctors are busy people. If they wrote one of these statements for every single one of their patients, that is probably all they would ever do.
One of the ways we try to streamline the process for doctors is by providing a residual functional capacity form (or RFC). You should not be surprised if your doctor charges you a fee to complete this form. Consider that her time is valuable, and the money you spend now is more than likely going to be worth it in the end. The administration gives a lot of weight to the opinion of a doctor who has treated you long-term because he or she can give the most detailed, longitudinal perspective of your impairments and progression.
If you are applying for disability benefits on the basis of a mental disability, you'll want to make sure that the doctor who is completing your RFC is someone who specializes in that area of medicine. That will make their opinion all the more valuable.
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One carefully-worded statement of support could be enough to sway Social Security administrators to give you the approval stamp. But a doctor who doesn't support you in this could end up being a big part of the reason your claim is denied.
Los Angeles Social Security Disability Attorney Vincent Howard of HOWARD LAW knows it's important to know where your doctor stands.
Keep in mind too that even if your doctor does support you, often, she may not be aware of what you need from her. You may not know either. That's why having a qualified disability attorney is so key to the whole process.
Our attorneys can also let you know when it might be time to change doctors, if yours is not supportive or cooperative. Of course,this is not a decision you want to make lightly or frequently - constantly moving from one doctor to the next could actually hurt your chances of a successful claim. A lack of much history will render your newest doctor's opinion virtually useless.
But if you stay on with a doctor who is not responsive to your SSDI application, you risk being sent to a doctor chosen by the Social Security Administration - and guess how their results tend to skew? Not in your favor.
For the most part, SSDI and SSI claims can be won (or lost) pretty much entirely on your medical records. This means you have to provide them with extensive and detailed records and medical notes. This would include everything from lab reports to x-rays to MRIs to treatment notes. Another key piece of evidence would be a statement from your doctor, advocating support of your SSDI claim.
Bear in mind, though, a brief note from your doctor simply stating that you are disabled isn't likely to help much. What the administration needs from your doctor are specifics. So for example, they need to know how your doctor evaluates your ability to do things like sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, perform certain dexterous hand movements, reach above, lift certain amounts, perform simple, routine tasks. Ideally, your doctor's notes would also include information about your overall strength, your hand grip strength, your range of motion and your reflexes. The details might be a bit different, depending on the type of disability you are claiming.
But here's the biggest problem you will face: Doctors are busy people. If they wrote one of these statements for every single one of their patients, that is probably all they would ever do.
One of the ways we try to streamline the process for doctors is by providing a residual functional capacity form (or RFC). You should not be surprised if your doctor charges you a fee to complete this form. Consider that her time is valuable, and the money you spend now is more than likely going to be worth it in the end. The administration gives a lot of weight to the opinion of a doctor who has treated you long-term because he or she can give the most detailed, longitudinal perspective of your impairments and progression.
If you are applying for disability benefits on the basis of a mental disability, you'll want to make sure that the doctor who is completing your RFC is someone who specializes in that area of medicine. That will make their opinion all the more valuable.