| Medical records play an extremely vital role in an | | | | individual will be asked by the SSA numerous times to |
| individual's Social Security disability claim. The Social | | | | list and describe his or her pain and conditions. The |
| Security Administration (SSA) will do everything they | | | | SSA will require a claimant to discuss this information in |
| can to discover whether a claimant has any medical | | | | different forms, over the phone, and at a hearing if the |
| conditions that prevent him or her from performing | | | | case reaches that point. Since medical information is |
| substantial gainful activity. SSA will determine the | | | | so important to a claimant's case, it is vital to be as |
| severity of a claimant's conditions based on different | | | | thorough as possible when responding to these |
| types of medical records. Different medical records | | | | inquiries. It is not enough for a claimant to say "I feel |
| that are submitted in a disability benefits application | | | | pain" or "my arm sometimes hurts" for example. In |
| include but are not limited to: your test results; any | | | | order give yourself the best opportunity to argue your |
| medications the person is on or has taken; the contact | | | | case in the light most favorable, describe to the SSA in |
| information for any doctors, clinics, or hospitals that you | | | | great detail how your condition(s) have played a |
| have visited; and any information that your doctors, | | | | detrimental role in your everyday life. |
| clinics, or hospitals can provide. Below are three tips | | | | (3) Be Inquisitive |
| with medical records that will help you with you Social | | | | Even if you are both prepared and thorough with your |
| Security disability benefits claim. | | | | medical records, that will often times not be enough to |
| (1) Be Prepared | | | | insure that you have done everything possible to help |
| Once you decide to apply for Social Security disability | | | | your disability benefits claim. Knowing what information |
| benefits, the SSA is going to need all of your medical | | | | your doctors, clinics, or hospitals are sending to the |
| records to process your claim. The more records that | | | | SSA on your behalf is just as important as having the |
| you can provide them with, the faster they will be able | | | | information sent out. Often times your doctor, for |
| to make a decision on your claim. One of the biggest | | | | example, will write the SSA stating that you are |
| factors contributing to application delay is when the | | | | capable of doing activities that you cannot do. If you |
| SSA has to request medical records from your | | | | are not aware of what your doctor sent over to the |
| medical providers. These medical record requests can | | | | SSA, you will have no way of correcting the doctor's |
| significantly delay an application. For this reason, it is | | | | report before a disability determination is made. |
| imperative that you have taken all of the necessary | | | | Medical records play a major role in determining |
| steps to be as prepared as possible when you sit | | | | whether a claimant will ultimately receive Social |
| down and decide to apply for disability benefits. | | | | Security disability benefits from the SSA. For this |
| (2) Be Thorough | | | | reason, be prepared, be thorough, and be inquisitive |
| During the course of a disability benefits claim, an | | | | throughout the disability application process. |