Are you overwhemed with your Social Security disability case?
Many who come to our firm are under severe stress, are unable to work, are running out of money, and have become frustrated. They are dealing with severe injuries and disabling illnesses. Most are overwhelmed and feel betrayed by a system they have paid into all their working lives.
We want to help people keep their homes, savings, and possessions. We strive to handle their cases and work hard to achieve successful results as quickly as possible. Having helped more than 40,000 disabled individuals since 1994, our lawyers have learned various strategies for proving claims. Together, our attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience to offer. Our experience is what makes us unique.
Ten Ways to Increase the Chances of a Successful Claim
- Medical evidence is essential to the successful resolution of any claim. Always get treatment from your doctors on a regular basis. If you cannot find low- or no-cost medical care, and you have a claim pending with the Social Security Administration or are planning to file one, please contact our offices, and we may be able to provide you with more information.
- Be as descriptive as possible when discussing your condition with your doctors. Provide them with specific examples of what you cannot do because of your disability. For example, let your doctor know if it hurts to climb stairs or if you can only walk a few blocks before needing to rest. This will help your doctor accurately diagnose and treat you, and it will give the Social Security Administration a more complete picture of your disability.
- Keep a diary if you experience reoccurring events such as migraines, seizures, panic attacks, or gout flares. Social Security needs to know how often you experience these symptoms. Since you do not go to the doctor’s office every time you have a migraine, the best way to document your condition is to keep track yourself and inform your doctor of everything that has occurred since your last visit at each appointment.
- Attend all scheduled appointments and follow doctor recommendations exactly. Explain to your doctor if there is a reason you cannot keep an appointment, such as no health insurance, increased symptoms of your condition, or medication side effects. If you need to stop seeing a doctor or stop taking medication, the reason should be documented.
- Seek the care of a specialist. This is especially important if you have any mental health or pain conditions. The Social Security Administration highly respects the opinions of specialists such as psychiatrists, orthopedists, rheumatologists, neurologists, and cardiologists. Routine treatment with your family doctor may not be enough to convince the Social Security Administration that you are severely disabled.
- Keep an updated list of all healthcare providers you have received treatment from since you became disabled. Inform our office of any changes or additions, so we can request the medical records and send them to the Social Security Administration for you.
- Be patient. It can take anywhere from several months to several years to resolve your case. Make the most of this time by seeing doctors regularly to ensure that there is plenty of medical evidence to document your disability.
- Attend ALL meetings the Social Security Administration schedules for you, and return all paperwork promptly to the appropriate offices. These appointments include doctors’ appointments scheduled with independent medical examiners as well as appointments with Social Security Administration staff. If you miss a deadline or appointment, you may have to start the process all over, which will delay your approval and can negatively affect your benefit amount.
- If drug use was ever an issue, it would benefit your case to have periodic drug screens to prove there is no current use and/or seek treatment at a recovery facility. A judge may assume a person is still using drugs without this testing or without progress notes stating otherwise. Drug use can be extremely detrimental, especially in mental health cases.
- Claimants who are represented by an attorney are statistically more likely to win. You do not even have to leave the privacy of your own home to secure The Law Offices of Eric A. Shore as your legal representative. Furthermore, you do not need any money upfront. Just call, and we can immediately begin evaluating your case.
