What should you get from your doctor to file for disability benefits?You won't be required to get anything at all from your doctor when you file for disability benefits, or at any point thereafter. This is because the social security administration will do all the record and evidence gathering when your case is pending at either the disability application or reconsideration appeal level. However, some claimants take it upon themselves to get their medical records either prior to filing for disability or shortly after filing for disability. The advantage to doing this is obvious. Disability examiners, the people who make decisions on SSD and SSI claims for the social security administration, receive their cases from social security field offices where claimants first apply. The first act that a disability examiner will typically take will be to request medical records from all the medical and mental treatment sources that are listed on a disability claim. However, after the records have been requested, the case may simply sit and wait for weeks, and sometimes months. During this time, the disability examiner has his or her hands tied because the majority of the decision making process is based on what the medical records have to say about a claimant's condition. A claimant who gets the medical record from their various doctors, hospitals, and clinics can sometimes shave many weeks of processing time from their case. Disability examiners who receive medical records from claimants are also often appreciative of this since it allows them to dispose of cases faster and improve their work statistics. Applicants whose claims are pending at the disability hearing level (meaning a disability hearing has been requested and the claimant is waiting for a hearing date to be scheduled), though, are in a very different position. At the hearing level, the social security administration no longer does development of a case. Translation: SSA will no longer seek to obtain medical records even though the medical records that were previously obtained will be many months old by the time a hearing actually takes place. At the hearing level, it is the responsbility of the claimant and/or the claimant's disability representative (who can be a social security attorney or non-attorney representative) to obtain updated medical records and submit them to the administrative law judge who has been assigned to the case. About the Author: Tim Moore is a former Social Security Disability Examiner in North Carolina, has been interviewed by the NY Times and the LA Times on the disability system, and is an Accredited Disability Representative (ADR) in North Carolina. For assistance on a disability application or Appeal in NC, click here. Most popular topics on SSDRC.com Social Security Disability in North Carolina Common Mistakes to avoid after being denied for Disability Tips to Prepare for Filing for Social Security Disability or SSI Advice to Win SSD and SSI Benefit Claims Social Security Disability SSI Questions What is the difference between Social Security Disability and SSI? How to get disability for depression Getting disability for fibromyalgia SSI disability for children with ADHD What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI? Social Security Disability SSI Exam tips More Social Security Disability SSI Questions What makes you eligible for Social Security Disability or SSI? Related pages: What determines your disability benefit amount? Will an inheritance stop my disability benefits? What happens to my disability benefits if I move out of state? When Social Security Disability Sends You To A Doctor, What Kind Is It? Who is The Doctor for a Social Security Disability Claim or SSI Case? What should you get from your doctor to file for disability benefits? Why Will You be Sent to a Social Security Doctor for your disability case? Will Social Security Grant Disability If I Have Not Been To the Doctor? If I apply for disability and my doctor says I am disabled, is there a waiting period to receive benefits? SSA Medical Exam and your own Physician How Important is the Treating Physician to a Social Security Disability or SSI case? Collecting SSI Disability, marriage, and work These pages answer some of the most basic questions for individuals who are considering filing a claim. File a disability application for SSD, SSI, SSDI benefits How to Apply for Disability - What medical conditions can you apply and qualify for? What happens if I file a disability application and it is denied by a disability examiner or Judge? How to Prove you are disabled and qualify to win disability benefits How do you prove your disability case if you have a mental condition or impairment? Social Security Disability Back pay and How Long it Takes to Qualify for it and receive it Social Security Disability SSI - Eligibility Requirements and Qualifications Criteria |
