Winning YOUR Social Security claim: What YOU need to do to win your case.

by | Jan 14, 2021 | Firm News

If you’ve read my other blog posts, you may have noticed a lot of paperwork and legal process is involved, and a lawyer can help you with that. But what about your role in developing the evidence to win your case?

Almost all of the evidence needed to win a Social Secirity Disability case is medical. The judge will read your medical records and any opinion statements your doctors provide. This will include a record of how often you’ve gone to each doctor, nurse, counselor, or other medical provider. It will include a record of what was talked about at each visit – what you told the doctor, what they observed when examining you, and what they diagnosed and recommended. If they agree to provide an opinion statement, their opinion about what limitations your medical condition imposes will be weighed by how it measures up to the treatment records.

That means it’s critical that you visit your doctor regularly while your appeal is pending, and always talk to your doctor about the conditions that keep you from working. You have to really try to get better; follow every medical recommendation and try every reasonable treatment. Make sure your doctor gets to know you and understands how your condition affects your life and work capabilities.

Ultimately, as your lawyer, I can only help with certain aspects of the case, and ultimately the core of your case is going to come down to the record created by you and your doctor. Once you have a good relationship with a treating doctor who can assess your capabilities, I will provide them with a relevant questionnaire to provide a medical opinion, and with that and a solid treatment record we will be well-prepared when we get to a hearing.