Many Ohioans who are contemplating filing a claim for disability benefits wonder about the kind of information they must supply in support of the claim. Supporting information for a disability claim falls into two broad categories: medical information and employment history. In this post, we will review the types of medical information that a claimant must provide in support of a claim for Social Security Disability Income or SSDI benefits.
In the words of the Social Security Administration or SSA, “medical evidence is the cornerstone of the disability determination..” Every claimant is responsible for providing sufficient medical evidence to support the claim. This information must be in documentary form and must come from medical professionals designated by the SSA as “acceptable medical sources.” These sources include persons licensed in the following fields: medicine, psychology, optometry, podiatry and speech-language pathology.
Just about any statement from an acceptable medical source is useful to the SSA, but the following kinds of statements are most helpful: medical history, clinical findings, laboratory findings, which includes radiologic images, diagnostic reports, treatment recommendations, which includes prognosis and assessments of the patient’s ability to work.
If the information submitted by the claimant is deemed inadequate, the SSA may refer the claimant to one or more of the medical sources for a consultative examination to obtain more information about the disabling injury or condition. Generally speaking, objective findings such as a laboratory report or an X-ray are more persuasive than the claimant’s subjective descriptions of his or her medical condition.
Anyone who wishes to file a claim for SSDI benefits may wish to gain more information about the process. A knowledgeable attorney could be resourceful in gathering and assembling both the medical and employment information to support the claim. If the claim is denied, a lawyer can assist the claimant in preparing, filing and prosecuting an appeal of the denial.
Source: Social Security Administration, “Disability Evaluation Under Social Security, Part II – Evidentiary Requirements,” accessed on July 24, 2016