Applying for Social Security Disability benefits can involve medical records, work history, forms, deadlines, and ongoing communication with the Social Security Administration.
While no service can guarantee that a disability claim will be approved, the right support can help you organize important information, develop medical evidence, understand what Social Security is asking for, and respond as your claim moves forward.
Knowing what resources are available can help you determine where you may need additional support.
Can Social Security Help With Your Disability Application?
Yes. The Social Security Administration provides resources for people applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
SSA asks applicants to provide detailed information about their medical conditions, healthcare providers, medications, testing, and work history. With the applicant’s permission, Social Security may also request medical evidence from doctors, hospitals, clinics, and other treatment providers.
Applicants can use SSA.gov to apply for benefits, access forms, review disability information, and appeal certain decisions.
Providing complete and accurate information is still important. Social Security notes that applicants are responsible for providing evidence showing that they have a medical impairment and how severe it is, while SSA will make reasonable efforts to help obtain medical records.
How Can Your Doctors Help With a Disability Claim?
Medical providers can play an important role because medical evidence is a central part of Social Security’s disability evaluation.
Helpful medical records may include:
- Treatment notes
- Diagnoses
- Imaging or laboratory results
- Medication history
- Specialist records
- Mental health treatment records
- Documentation of symptoms and limitations
- Medical opinions about work-related functioning
A diagnosis alone does not always explain how a condition affects your ability to work.
Medical records may help show how long you can sit, stand, or walk; whether symptoms interfere with concentration; whether medication causes significant side effects; or whether you have difficulty maintaining a consistent schedule.
Social Security also considers information about what a person can still do despite their impairments, including physical and mental work-related activities.
Can a Disability Attorney or Representative Help?
Social Security allows claimants to appoint an attorney or another qualified representative to assist with a disability claim or appeal.
Depending on the stage of the claim, a representative may help with:
- Reviewing the application or denial
- Identifying information that may be missing
- Gathering and submitting medical evidence
- Communicating with Social Security
- Updating the claim as medical conditions change
- Preparing an appeal
- Developing evidence for a hearing
- Helping the claimant prepare for questions that may arise during the hearing process
Representation does not guarantee that a claim will be approved. The goal is to help develop and present the claim as clearly and completely as possible.
What Help Is Available If Your Disability Claim Is Denied?
If Social Security denies your claim, you have the right to appeal the decision.
Depending on the stage of the case, that may involve reconsideration, a hearing before an administrative law judge, Appeals Council review, or federal court review.
A representative may help review the reason for the denial, identify additional evidence that may be needed, and prepare the appeal.
Social Security generally gives claimants 60 days to request an appeal, beginning five days after the date on the decision notice unless the claimant can show that the notice was received later.
If you receive a denial, reviewing the notice early can give you more time to understand what Social Security decided and determine what information may need to be updated.
Can Someone Help Gather Medical Evidence?
Yes. Social Security can request medical evidence from your treatment providers with your permission, and an appointed representative may also help develop the medical record.
Medical evidence may include treatment records, testing, diagnoses, medical opinions, and information about how your condition affects your ability to perform work-related activities.
Keeping an updated list of doctors, specialists, medications, testing, and treatment dates can make it easier to provide Social Security with accurate information when it is requested.
If the existing medical evidence is not enough for Social Security to make a determination, the agency may request additional information or arrange a consultative examination.
What Information Should You Keep Organized?
Social Security asks for information about both your medical history and your work history when you apply for disability benefits.
It can help to keep track of:
- Names and contact information for doctors and specialists
- Dates of appointments and treatment
- Current medications and side effects
- Hospitalizations or surgeries
- Testing and imaging
- Changes in symptoms
- Previous jobs and job duties
- Dates when your ability to work changed
- Letters and notices from Social Security
SSA recommends having medical, employment, and other personal information available when completing a disability application.
Keeping these records organized may make it easier to respond when Social Security asks for updates or additional information.
What Kind of Help Does Your Claim Need?
Not every disability claim needs the same type of support.
Someone filing an initial application may need help organizing medical and work information. Another applicant may need stronger documentation of their limitations. Someone who has already received a denial may need help understanding the decision and preparing an appeal.
The important question is not whether there is a service that can guarantee an approval. There is not.
Instead, consider where your claim may need additional support, whether that involves medical evidence, paperwork, communication with Social Security, an appeal, or preparing for a hearing.
The Right Support Can Help You Better Understand Your Claim
Applying for Social Security Disability can involve information from several different sources, including you, your medical providers, Social Security, and, in some cases, an attorney or representative.
Understanding what each resource can provide can help you make informed decisions as your claim moves forward.
If you are applying for SSDI or SSI, have received a denial, or are unsure whether your medical evidence fully explains how your conditions affect your ability to work, Disability Law Group can review your situation and help you understand what may come next.
Call (888) 575-3010 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
At Disability Law Group, every client matters.
