If medical issues prevent people from working, they may be eligible for disability benefits. Some people have private disability insurance, but most people do not. Instead, they depend on the social safety net provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Should their health decline and prevent them from working, they can apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Those benefits can help the workers cover regular cost-of-living expenses until they are old enough to qualify for retirement benefits or their health improves.
Typically, workers need medical conditions severe enough to prevent them from maintaining any gainful employment to qualify for SSDI benefits. Their conditions also need to last 12 months or longer. Applicants need compelling evidence when they apply or appeal for benefits. What evidence can help people convince the SSA that they need the support of SSDI benefits?
1. Detailed diagnostic records
The more debilitating a medical condition is, the more information doctors may record when making a diagnosis. Details about the extent of the condition and the impact it is likely to have on a patient can help them establish that they cannot work and are unlikely to improve within the next 12 months. Information provided by the healthcare professionals who diagnose a patient can play an important role in an SSDI application.
2. Functional capacity evaluation reports
A diagnosis alone may not be enough to convince professionals at the SSA that an individual qualifies for benefits. Some conditions can be particularly debilitating in certain scenarios and less severe in others. In cases involving unusually severe presentations of typically minor conditions, SSDI applicants may need to undergo thorough testing.
A functional capacity evaluation is a test that lasts for hours. A licensed medical professional observes an individual carefully to determine the overall severity of their medical condition. The details included in that report can make it clear that the applicant may no longer be able to work their job or even live independently because of their medical challenges.
3. Treatment recommendations
Sometimes, the condition itself is not what renders an individual unable to work but rather the treatment they must undergo. Cancer is a perfect example of this situation. An individual who faces 18 months of chemotherapy is likely to be extremely sick for the duration of their treatment.
Records of the type of treatment a doctor recommends and information about how it may affect the patient’s daily life can potentially convince the SSA that an applicant cannot work until they complete their treatment regimen.
One of the most common mistakes people make when applying for SSDI benefits involves a failure to submit adequate medical documentation. Those preparing to apply for or to appeal a denial of SSDI benefits may need authoritative medical evidence. Reviewing current medical records and obtaining additional documentation may improve an applicant’s chances of securing SSDI benefits.