In my practice, I always try to schedule an in-office, in-person meeting with my client prior to his/her hearing. Usually, I try to meet a week or two before the actual hearing date to discuss the hearing procedures and to practice answering the questions that are likely going to be asked.
This past February, Social Security issued a press release announcing that it was adding thirty-eight (38) medical conditions to its "compassionate allowance" program. SSA describes its compassionate allowance program as follows:
More on Social Security Adds More Conditions to "Compassionate Allowance" Program
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Doctors play a pivotal role in the social security disability process. 
Their contributions of expertise and documentation provide insight to an applicant’s mental and/or physical condition, and this insight may prove useful when a social security adjudicator is reviewing a claimant’s file. In essence, what a doctor’s contributions to a claimant’s disability file can influence the ultimate decision made by the Social Security Administrative Law Judge. For this reason, it is often said that medical records and documentation are the backbone of a successful disability claim, but in this post we look beyond that to discuss the logic of why a doctor’s opinions are so important.
More on The importance of doctor support in a disability claim (and why this is the case)
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This afternoon, I tried an SSDI case involving a 53 year old woman claiming disability based on diabetes and associated complications. In reviewing the record it appears to me that my client had been diabetic for several years prior to her diagnosis and has most likely suffered permanent vision and nerve damage. Unfortunately her medical care has been suboptimal and while she has been compliant with treatment the record does not contain enough for me to make an argument based on the listing at 9.08. Instead I went with a functional capacity argument.
More on Diabetes and Social Security Disability Case Study Posted
In a recent post on the importance of claimant credibility, I made a point that your ability to effectively describe your physical pain at the hearing may play a role in helping you win your case. Since physical pain is common to many disability cases, I want to elaborate on this point. Not only should you be able to effectively describe your pain at the hearing, but also throughout the claims process and during doctor's visits as well.
More on Helpful Tips for the Disability Claimant: Knowing How To Describe Pain
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In a previous blog post, I set out several discussion points that I raise with my clients in our pre-hearing conferences. One of those discussion points has to do with "credibility" – are you a believable witness?
More on Your Credibility – A Key Factor in Winning Your Claim
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In this 10th Q & A post, I discuss how the SSA determines what your functional limitations are.
Question:
How exactly does the SSA determine the effects of a claimant's symptoms on his or her ability to function in the workplace?
My answer:
More on Q & A: How does the SSA determine what my functional limitations are?
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Throughout my Q & A Series, I have discussed the importance of medical records many, many times. Hopefully you are starting to get the idea that you can't win a disability claim without good medical evidence to back up your claim! Now, I'd like to address one last question about what kind of information should be contained within the records that you submit with your claim for disability.
More on Q & A: How much and what kind of information has to be present in my medical records?
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Hello and welcome to the 8th installment of my Q & A series, which is designed to cover some of the more elusive topics associated with the Social Security Disability claims process. In this post, I discuss how non-medical sources of evidence can be helpful in a disability claim.
More on Q & A: Can I submit non-medical sources of evidence in my disability claim?
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Hello and welcome to the 7th installment of my Q & A series, which is designed to cover some of the more elusive topics associated with the Social Security Disability claims process. In this post, I discuss what types of medical providers are deemed as "acceptable medical sources" by the Social Security Administration.
More on Q & A: What medical sources are considered acceptable by the SSA?
