The SSA assesses your credibility, that is \u2013 do they believe you \u2013 at every step of the way.\u00a0 If your claim goes to a hearing and you tell the judge something different than what you filled out on the forms, the judge might not believe you.\u00a0 Always be truthful and accurate when filling out the forms. Don\u2019t overstate or understate your disabilities.\u00a0 Credibility is important.<\/p>\n
Blunder #9\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Assuming that your medical and\/or psychological\u00a0diagnosis is enough to get you approved.\u00a0While having a diagnosis is important, what judges really look at is how that condition limits your ability to work and affects your daily life.\u00a0 Disability claims are won based on your symptoms and limitations, not your diagnosis. You need detailed medical records that document your limitations and conditions.<\/p>\n
Your disability attorney will talk to your doctors, psychiatrists, and psychologists to ask their opinions on your specific limitations.\u00a0 Your attorney understands what information
\nthe judge is looking for to assist in making their decisions, and often this is the most critical part of your claim.\u00a0 The judge will also have to determine whether he or she believes these opinions, or in their language, how much \u201cweight\u201d should be given to the opinion.\u00a0 More weight will be given to your doctor\u2019s opinions if your treatment is continuous and consistent.\u00a0 An experienced disability attorney knows the right questions to ask your doctors.<\/p>\n
Blunder #10\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Not getting the right kind of medical care. The SSA and judges have rules they need to follow when reviewing your medical records.\u00a0 According to the rules, only certain types of medical providers are considered to be \u201cmedical sources\u201d.\u00a0 Judges are more persuaded by mainstream doctors (like MDs and DOs).\u00a0 Certainly, if alternative therapies like chiropractic or acupuncture are helpful to you, there is no reason you can\u2019t use these treatments.\u00a0 However, a judge will often not take a chiropractor\u2019s opinion as seriously as he or she will take into consideration your MD\u2019s opinion.<\/p>\n
In certain communities, the only kind of care you might be able to get is with a nurse. Always make an effort to see if you can get treatment with an MD, or have an MD oversee your treatment.\u00a0 If all else fails, make sure you have a longstanding history of treatment with the nurse.\u00a0 The same goes for mental health treatment.\u00a0 If you are only able to get counseling with a social worker, make sure there is a psychiatrist on staff who knows about your situation and will sign off on your treatment.<\/p>\n
Blunder #11\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Assuming that your doctor will support your\u00a0claim for disability benefits. He or she may not, and worse, some doctors just flat out refuse to get involved in the process with the mistaken thought that they might get dragged into court.\u00a0 You can assure your doctor that the judge will not\u00a0need to talk to them, but that their attorney will be asking some very specific questions about your limitations.\u00a0 Many doctors don\u2019t know what the SSA rules are and they think that someone has to be bedridden to
\nqualify for disability benefits.\u00a0 It is important to let your doctor know that you have applied for disability benefits and to ask your doctor whether they support your claim.\u00a0 If your doctor refuses to support your claim, you might want to consider finding another doctor.<\/p>\n
Blunder #12\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Assuming that if you lose your claim at a hearing, you can re-apply right\u00a0away. If you lose your claim before a judge and then reapply, SSA will know that you already lost your hearing.\u00a0 They will look at the judge\u2019s decision and look at your application even more critically.\u00a0 If you lose and reapply, you will need to present a new disability or at least prove that your conditions have become significantly worse.\u00a0The stakes are too high to not be fully prepared and have the best representation the first time around.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The SSA assesses your credibility, that is \u2013 do they believe you \u2013 at every step of the way.\u00a0 If your claim goes to a hearing and you tell the judge something different than what you filled out on the forms, the judge might not believe you.\u00a0 Always be truthful and accurate when filling out […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_angie_page":false,"page_builder":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-social-security"],"yoast_head":"\n