For anyone applying to SSDI, it isn’t news that you need to provide evidence of your injuries. However, many people do experience some shock when they realize that they’ll need to provide evidence of their limitations, the extent of their disabilities, and their inability to work or obtain employment. Without a doubt, medical evidence will play a huge roll in your claim, but you can use evidence to show the strength of your claim, rather than allowing the SSDI office to deny it repeatedly.
Medical Evidence from Your Current Providers
The first stop on the evidence list is the reports and medical records from your current treatment providers. The Wisconsin Department of Health looks closely at these records because of a few reasons. First, they assume that your current providers are most familiar with your records. They’ve reviewed them recently and have had at-length discussions with you regarding your treatment plans.
Second, these providers are probably the most recent to update your records. Finally, the SSA will issue your current providers with a form for medical assessment. In addition to your medical assessment, you can ask your doctor for a letter. You shouldn’t tell your doctor what to put in your letter, just know that they write these letters all the time and typically know what the SSA is looking for in response.
Different Types of Records
There are various types of records that the SSA or the Wisconsin Department of Health could ask for in your case. Medical records and other evidence could include:
- Your medical history of all accidents and medical issues
- Clinical exam reports
- X-ray, MRI, CT-scan and other diagnostic reports
- Current diagnosis or possible diagnosis
- Outstanding prescriptions and prescription history
- Response to past treatments and treatment opportunities explored
In addition to the above records, they’ll need to provide statements for your mental and physical abilities. In relation to your work, the doctor should evaluate your daily duties and see where you could reasonably perform for a sustainable duration.
When looking at these types of statements, the SSA and Wisconsin Department of Health carefully consider your ability to concentrate, adapt to changes, and work with managers and coworkers. For your physical aspects, they will likely give you clear restrictions on standing, lifting, carrying, walking, sitting, and even speaking. Anything that could exhaust you should be on the statement. This statement should help give the offices in charge of your application a clear understanding of your abilities and restrictions.
Submitting New Medical Evidence
While there is an online forum not for you to submit additional documentation and update your application, the system is not easy to use. The appeal status is reliable. However, if you need to do anything with your account, it’s best to handle it directly. Or, allow an SSDI attorney to handle it on your behalf. When working with changes and updates, it may lead to an application denial depending on when you provided the updated information.
There are a few issues that come with submitting new medical evidence. First, it’s difficult to do online, so many people spend hours writing in a Social Security office to receive very little help. Second, you claim examiner may have already moved on from your case and not review the documentation within a reasonable time frame Third, the additional evidence may offset or derail your application causing it to run out of time and requiring you to move into n appeal. Finally, you may need to provide additional updates on your medical condition after you’ve received a response, and that can impact your benefits.
Ultimately, you need to communicate your most recent medical needs clearly. The best way to go about that is to work with an attorney and use their resources to ensure you complete and submit each form properly. Then you need to focus on ensuring that your application isn’t negatively impacted by this new information.
Get Help Managing Your SSDI Appeal
Most SSDI applications experience denial and must continue through to the appeals process. In fact, about 70% of claims receive a denied status initially. However, that doesn’t mean that 70% of applicants don’t need help. If you received a denial, it might be because your initial claim was missing a
Contact an SSI attorney in Wisconsin at Tabak Law. We work with people who are pursuing compensation and support through SSDI. Not only can we provide guidance for your application, but we can offer representation if your appeals go through to an ALJ for claim review.