If you are filing a Social Security disability claim with the help of a Jacksonville Beach Social Security disability attorney, you may be given forms or questionnaires to give to your primary treating doctor. It is common for the SSA to ask treating doctors for information and opinions about a claimant’s impairments. Here are some questions that your primary treating doctor might have if you broach the subject of your disability benefits. Your Jacksonville Beach Social Security disability attorney will be able to answer these questions for your doctor.
Q: This functional capacity form asks for quite a few details about the patient’s capacity for working. Why is this necessary?
A: The Social Security Administration requires info from your Jacksonville Beach Social Security disability law firm or from your treating doctor about your ability to perform any work-related activities. If your case has reached the stage of a hearing before an administrative law judge, you may find out that a vocational expert will testify about the availability of jobs in the market. In this case, your Jacksonville Beach Social Security disability attorney will see a strong need to get opinions or information from your treating doctor.
Q: The best answer to many of the questions on this form is “it depends.” Is that OK?
Your Jacksonville Beach Social Security disability attorney will tell your doctor to write that answer in the margins. It’s acceptable for your doctor to write supplemental information in the margins so long as your Jacksonville Beach Social Security Disability Law Firm or your doctor provide enough information to the agency to make a decision. The more info the agency receives from you, your doctor, and your Jacksonville Beach Social Security disability attorney, the more weight they will give your claim.
Q: I believe almost everyone who is not completely bedridden should be able to do some form of work, even if it’s just part-time. Does this make me too biased to give an opinion?
Your Jacksonville Beach Social Security disability law firm will have seen many doctors, lawyers and judges who hold this belief in the realm of Social Security disability. It is not a bias; instead, it’s a useful perspective for the SSA to consider when evaluating your claim. Conversely, if your doctor believes that you would need special accommodations (extra work breaks, a flexible schedule) to hold down a job, your Jacksonville Beach Social Security disability attorney would like your doctor to write that down as well.
If you have questions about your disability claim, contact a Jacksonville Beach Social Security disability attorney at The Law Offices of Lori A. Gaglione. Call 904-249-1440.
