When seeking Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, your medical records will serve as the primary evidence of your disability and qualification for assistance. The Social Security Administration (SSA) defines disability as a physical or cognitive impairment that prevents an individual from being gainfully employed.
If you have been denied SSDI benefits, the Social Security Disability attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer can help you file an appeal. If you are filing for the first time, we can help you gather the necessary medical records and employment records to submit a complete application. We’ll help you submit medical records showing evidence of your disability. We can refer you to a medical specialist for an examination and a second opinion if needed.
If you live in Kentucky and can no longer work because of a disabling condition, contact a Kentucky Courage attorney today to schedule a free consultation about your SSDI claim.
What Is Medical Evidence?
Medical evidence for a Social Security Disability Insurance benefits claim is typically photocopies of medical records, doctors’ evaluations, and recent medical test results. This should be timely information from doctors, hospitals, clinics, and other medical sources about your medical treatment for illnesses, injuries, or conditions that limit your ability to work. The SSA may consider the professional assessments of qualified medical professionals regarding your condition and limitations.
The SSA requires objective medical evidence from an acceptable medical source to establish that an applicant has a medically diagnosed impairment.
- Objective medical evidence includes the findings of diagnostic tests and anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities that can be observed. Lab findings are the results of recognized diagnostic tests, like blood tests, electrocardiograms, x-rays, and psychological tests.
An acceptable medical source is a licensed healthcare provider licensed and practicing in a recognized medical field. The SSA does not consider these to be acceptable medical sources:
- Chiropractors (x-rays from a chiropractor’s office are considered valid evidence.)
- Acupuncturists
- Massage therapists
- New age medicine practitioners.
Medical evidence should help the Social Security Administration answer such questions as:
- What are your illnesses, injuries, or conditions?
- When did they begin?
- How do they limit your activities?
- What did medical tests show?
- What treatment have you received?
The SSA will seek information about your ability to do work-related activities, such as walking, sitting, lifting, carrying, and understanding and remembering instructions.
How To Gather Medical Evidence for an SSDI Claim?
Contact an attorney at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer to discuss what types of records will be needed to support your claim. An attorney who handles disability claims can help you gather evidence.
3 Steps To Take To Gather Medical Evidence
- List treating sources. Make a list of the places and providers that have provided you with treatment. Identify what information might be acquired from each source. Our attorneys can request the records on your behalf.
- Sign releases for medical information. You should sign two releases for each treating source, the Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration (SSA-827) and the medical provider’s information release form.
- Send releases to medical records departments. Our attorneys can submit the signed medical information releases to providers along with a cover letter that specifies the type of information sought.
What Medical Records To Request for an SSDI Claim?
Multiple types of records may provide useful evidence for making disability determinations. We may request on your behalf the following types of records:
- Physical health evaluations:
- Diagnostic tests
- Laboratory results
- Neurological evaluations.
- Psychiatric evaluations and records:
- Admission summaries
- Discharge summaries
- Bio-psychosocial evaluations or reports
- Progress notes
- Psychological tests
- Mental status exams
- Medication records.
- Substance use treatment:
- Admission summaries
- Discharge summaries
- Bio-psychosocial evaluations or reports
- Progress notes
- Drug testing
- Court records and court orders.
- Other sources of evaluations and reports:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Vocational evaluations
- School records.
How to Present Medical Evidence?
As we prepare your disability claim, we will make sure each document we submit on your behalf helps to prove that you are disabled.
- Personal Statement. Your personal statement should explain how your disability keeps you from working and participating in other normal daily activities. You should state the date you became disabled. You may be able to obtain benefits retroactive to the date of your disability.
- Medical Records. These include a medical history, details about your disability, all relevant medical treatment you’ve received, and documents to explain the extent of your injuries. The records are organized chronologically, with the most recent on top. Remember that a mental status exam from within the immediate past 90 days is required.
- Activities of Daily Living. Applicants must also complete and submit the Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire, formally known as Function Report – Adult (SSA-3373-BK). This form asks about your abilities and limitations in caring for yourself and your household.
- Medical Summary Report. The information you provide will be reiterated in the Medical Summary Report (MSR), a letter written by your application’s case manager.
An applicant may also be asked to complete a Work History Report (SSA-3369) or the Work Activity Report (SSA-821) if they worked after the onset date of their disability.
Our Attorneys Are Here To Help With Your Medical Evidence
When you engage Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer to assist with your SSDI benefits claim, we will help you gather evidence of your disability and present it to the Social Security Administration. We will ensure that all the necessary medical records are included and your application is complete.
We can:
- Contact your providers on your behalf to request records that substantiate the disabling nature of your condition.
- Ask your doctors for narrative letters that explain the history and nature of your disability, specific concerns it has caused you, and any symptoms affecting your condition. The SSA will consider a treating doctor’s opinion within the context of your broader medical records and then decide whether the statement should be given more weight. The most valuable opinions are from doctors who you have seen multiple times over the course of a year or more.
- Present your medical records to other medical professionals for their review and comment. A typical disability claim contains several evaluations from doctors who consult for the Social Security Administration.
We may recommend that you undergo additional evaluations to substantiate your claim. We can refer you to specialists who understand what is needed in an SSDI benefits claim.
Your attorney will establish contact with SSA and always keep you updated about the status of your benefits application.
Talk To A Kentucky Social Security Disability Attorney Now
If you can no longer work to provide an income for yourself and your family, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Instead of trying to compile evidence for a disability claim on your own, let the Kentucky SSDI attorneys or Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer help you.
Whether you are starting the claims process or need to appeal a wrongly denied claim, a Kentucky Courage attorney at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer can handle the paperwork for you and help you avoid unnecessary delays. We will represent you in any required hearings about your claim. Contact us today at (877) 809-5352 or online to schedule your free consultation.
