Disability Benefits: Common Mistakes and the Gathering of Evidence

One of the more common mistakes that a claimant makes during the process of trying to get disability benefits is failing to file an appeal after being denied, and many people who are denied after a reconsideration also neglect to request a hearing. Given the way the system works, you should always file an appeal after being turned down at least once, and you may find it useful to hire a skilled Iowa disability lawyer to help you plead your case.

Another common error that claimants make is failing to get suitable medical care. Some claimants with long-term or persistent medical issues tend to think that the doctors have been of no help to them in the past, so there is really no need to continue to seek treatment. However, doing so can prove to be detrimental, both medically and legally. First of all, if you suffer from a chronic impairment, you definitely need to have good quality medical care on an ongoing basis. Secondly, having medical treatment records to demonstrate your ailments will provide the most significant evidence of disability in your Social Security case.

When making a disability claim, some claimants think that they should have their physician write a letter on their behalf to the Social Security Administration, or gather their own records and send them directly to the SSA themselves. With regard to gathering your own records, there is really no need for you to do that yourself because the Administration will collect all pertinent medical records that have any bearing on your case.

However, the issue of whether or not your doctor should write a letter on your behalf is more difficult to deal with because, depending on the complexities of your impairments, the doctor may unintentionally give the decision-makers the wrong impression of you. Therefore, despite the fact that some claimants have actually won their cases based on doctors’ letters, it may be more beneficial for you and your attorney to rely on the statements made directly in the medical records. If you need an Iowa disability lawyer, please call Thad J. Murphy for a free consultation.