Filing your initial Social Security application can be a daunting task. Even beginning the disability process can be daunting, and it is an emotional decision to make. Even so, filling out your initial application for SSI or SSDI benefit properly bears a large impact upon your case. The more information that DDS, or the Disability Determination Service, in your state has, the faster and more fairly they can decide your case.
Our disability law firm is always on hand to help file initial applications, and our trained staff of paralegals assist with this process every day. If, however, you are not represented by a Social Security attorney yet, there are still some things you can keep in mind to ensure your Function Report and related materials are completed properly. In this article, we’ll examine some key pieces of information and common pitfalls that trip up many applicants, and look at how they can prevent you from being denied disability benefits.
Avoiding Delays
This is probably the most crucial portion of your application for Social Security disability benefits. Medical records are the key piece of evidence in a claim for Social Security benefits, and they are obtained from the medical care professionals who generated them. As such, giving Social Security the correct contact information for your doctors and therapists and the dates of treatment with those sources guarantees that they can get the records they need to make a proper decision. This serves two important functions: it eliminates delays that might result from an incomplete record, and having a complete record may allow DDS to return a favorable decision on your case before it ever reaches the hearing level.
Consultative Examination
Another important reason to make sure that DDS has complete records is that you may be able to avoid a consultative examination. These are exams scheduled with a medical professional who has been contracted by the Social Security Administration. The purpose of these exams is to obtain a health care practitioner’s opinion on a case, and they are often requested when the medical record is not complete enough. A CE is then called upon to fill in the gaps. These can hold a case up, as they need to be scheduled, they need to be kept, and the doctor’s report must be returned. Though they have up to 10 days to return the report, realistically it can take up to two weeks.
You can see, then, how providing complete information for your care sources can save this time on your case. If a CE is not needed, then DDS can decide based on the complete medical records, and not need the opinion of an outside source.
Filing your disability application is crucial, and is best handled with the assistance of a professional Social Security disability law office. Each of our staff members is trained in a specific part of the process, and can make sure no information is excluded from your initial filing. If, however, you do not have a disability attorney when filling out your form, your case is best served if your medical treatment information is complete. Have on hand the contact information and the dates of treatment for your doctors, and then your application can be as thorough as possible.
There are many people out there that have questions about the Social Security Disability process. This process is one that can be extremely frustrating to someone that is unfamiliar with the laws or the process. Visit Disabilitylawyer.com to solve all your queries.
