Doctor’s Role in Claiming Disability Benefits

When applying for disability benefits with the Social Security Administration, documents including medical records must be submitted. These documents are required to avoid scrupulous applicants and fraudulent claims.

Typically, Social Security would want a twelve month medical history including medical notes to evaluate the eligibility of the claimant and veracity of the injury. It could schedule mental, medical and consultative examinations to obtain medical information.

This one time consultative examinations would determine the medical condition of the claimant. However, medical examiners are required to send claimants to further examination if they feel that medical evidence is insufficient or lacking.

A consultative examination may include not only the doctor’s findings on the claimant’s condition but also observations before or after the actual examination.

The question now is would your claim be granted despite not having been seen by any doctor?

The answer is no. You must be seen either by a Social Security doctor or a consultative physician.

Some doctors are biased against the federal disability programs. This bias could work against the claimant. Consequently, the claimant should strictly adhere to the documentary requirements for greater chances of approval.