Will Social Security Attempt To Get A Letter From Your Doctor To Help Your Case?
The Social Security Disability determination process requires disability examiners to request your medical records from the medical treatment sources that you provided at your disability interview, and any other medical treatment sources that you provide during the disability determination process.
This does not mean that Social Security will try to get letters from your doctors that detail your medical conditions. They will simply get your medical records and use that information to help make a disability decision in your case.
Frankly, disability examiners do not even have to have received all of the records from your various doctors and treatment sources, if they, or their supervisor, conclude that they can make a determination based upon the medical evidence that they have received.
If you want to include a doctor's letter or statement for your disability claim, you should not waste your time with letters that give a one-sentence statement that you are disabled. All doctor's letters or statements should include objective medical information that is documented by acceptable medical testing.
In any statement from your doctor, your doctor needs to include a diagnosis, response to treatment, and a prognosis, as well as an opinion as to your ability to perform routine activities of daily living, including work activity (with the limitations impose upon you by your medical or mental conditions). If a doctor's statement provides the above-mentioned information, it generally enhances an individual's chance of winning their disability claim.
If you feel that your doctor will provide Social Security with a letter or statement it could help your disability claim, however you should not depend on Social Security to get this letter for you. You or your representative can submit this information at any level of the disability process.
If you have a Social Security attorney or non-attorney representative, they will most likely try to get a doctor's statement or a functional capacity report if your disability claim has to go to an administrative law judge disability hearing.
Medical Source statement PDF download
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.
Questions and Answers
1. How long does it take to get a Social Security Disability hearing decision?
2. Do Most People Have To Go To A Disability Hearing in order to Get Approved For Disability?
3. Filing a Disability Appeal in Pennsylvania
4. What Happens If You File A Late Social Security Appeal?
5. Will SSD Be Based On Newer Or Older Medical Records?
6. When Are You Allowed To Ask For A Social Security Disability Hearing?
7. Denied on a Social Security Disability Claim in New York
8. The Time Involved on a Social Security Disability Decision
9. Medical Evidence Used on a Social Security Disability or SSI Claim
10. The Social Security Disability Doctor Appointment is Called a CE
11. How Likely are You to Win Your Disability Case?
12. Social Security Disability, SSI and Being Over the Age of Fifty, 50
13. Why is the Social Security Administration definition of disability so strict?
14. How Do You Switch Your Disability Lawyer?
15. How Do I Apply For Disability- What Is The First Step?
16. What Income Will Affect Your Disability Benefits?
17. What Are Countable Assets For Social Security?
18. Is A Three Year Old With Disabilities Eligible For SSD Or Only SSI?
19. How Long Does It Take To Go Before A Judge For Disability Benefits?
20. Do You Get Cost Of Living Increases If You Receive Social Security Disability Or SSI?
21. Can You Receive Social Security Disability Or SSI Benefits At the Same Time As VA or Veterans' Benefits?
22. Is Receiving Social Security Disability Based On Whether I Can Do My Current or Last Job?
23. Appealing a Social Security Disability Denial in New York
24. Are SSDI and SSI Benefits Normally Continued After A Continuing Disability Review?
25. Will Work Cause You To Lose Your Disability Benefits?
26. Can I Get Disability If I Was Paid Under the Table?
27. Will Social Security Deny You Disability Without Looking At Your Medical Records?
28. What are the Assets that count for SSI Disability?
29. How much can a spouse and child draw from husband's or wife's SSDI?
30. Do I have to report earnings to Social Security if I collect disability?
31. Can a person with a felony collect Social Security Disability?
32. What does it mean when a disability judge is reviewing your case?
33. Should I get attorney representation for an upcoming disability hearing?
34. Can you receive short-term disability if you receive SSDI checks?
35. Will my disability pay go back to the day I became disabled?
36. How far back will they go on a disability back payment?
37. Should I get a lawyer for my disability case?
38. SSI retroactive disability back pay
39. How long do I have to be off work to file for disability?
40. How long does it take to get a decision for a disability appeal?
41. How much money can I get with SSDI?
42. If you get unemployment can you still get disability?
43. What happens after a Social Security Disability hearing has been held?
44. Do SSDI payments differ from state to state?
45. The Judge and the decision after the disability hearing for SSDI or SSI
46. Can I receive back pay all the way back to my first SSD or SSI disability claim years ago?
47. What conditions qualify or get you approved for SSD or SSI disability?
48. What questions will I be asked on a phone interview with Social Security?
49. How do I get a disability lawyer to take my case?
50. How much can you make and get disability?
51. What questions does Social Security ask during your annual SSI review?
52. When will I know if disability does an on the record review?
53. What should I do, I was denied Social Security Disability for the second time?
54. What is the top amount SSI pays?
55. If Social Security doctors agree you are disabled do you get SSDI?
56. What happens when you get approved for SSI?
57. What are non-medical requirements and criteria for Social Security Disability?
58. How recent do medical records need to be for a SSD or SSI disability claim?
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