When it comes to filing a disability claim, there are a lot of pieces of your particular puzzle that need to be put in place in order to win. Without a doubt, the most important part of this whole puzzle is your medical summary. With a decent, thorough, high-quality medical summary that shows your medical history and specific disability, you stand a much better chance of being approved for SSDI benefits. Without a good medical summary, on the other hand, your chances are pretty much nonexistent.
But what makes a good medical summary? A good summary is one that gives an accurate and thorough picture of your medical condition and your ability to work. To do this, you need to make sure you include records that paint a complete picture of your current medical condition. This includes such things as records of doctor and hospital visits, blood work, X-rays, lab results, prescribed treatments and other tests. Together, all of these records are used by the disability examiner to analyze your case and make a determination as to whether or not you are in need of benefits.
But, which records are the most important? To be honest, it’s hard to answer this question because each case is different. A record that might be crucial in one situation might be of little consequence to another. In short, it boils down to the specific nature of the case and the disability in question.
With that being said, however, there are a couple of documents that are vital, and should not be left out of your case:
— if your disability is one that is specifically listed in the Blue Book, then any records that prove you suffer from that particular disability are vital to your case.
— if you do not have a disability that is specifically listed in the Blue Book, then the disability examiner is going to have to know the extent of your ability to work. To do this, your doctor will need to fill out a Residual Functioning Capacity (RFC) form. This form gives a complete rundown of the extent of your disability and whether or not you are able to perform any type of work. For many cases, this RFC form can be the make-or-break document.
— in both situations, a statement from your health care provider as to your prognosis can also be important. Because the SSA is not going to award benefits to someone who is going to improve in the near future, it is important to have evidence stating that your medical condition is not likely to improve any time soon.
Compiling a thorough medical summary can be difficult. If you would like to know more, or would like help in putting your records together, please contact us today.
