What You Need to Tell Your Doctor About Your Social Security Disability Case

If you’ve applied for disability benefits, it’s important that you let your doctor know, but what else should you tell your doctor? My name is Kaitlin Wildoner, and I’m an attorney who helps disabled clients obtain their Social Security disability benefits as quickly as possible so they can focus on getting better. Today we’re going to talk about what you need to tell your doctor when you’ve applied for a Social Security disability claim.

Important Medical Record Documentation

First, let them know that you have applied for Social Security disability benefits! Most doctors focus on treating you, not on documenting the chart for Social Security purposes. While Social Security needs to see objective medical records, opinion evidence by a doctor can be helpful too. However, they are not looking for opinion evidence like, “this patient can’t work” or “this patient will never work again,” but instead real concrete limitations. Some examples might include “this patient can only stand for two hours in an eight hour day, and sit for two hours in an eight-hour day,” or “this patient is going to be off task for 20% of the work day,” or “this patient will be off-task 15 minutes out of every hour.”

In addition to those specific limitations, the doctor will want to put why those limitations exist. Is it your back pain, is it your knee that you need surgery on, what is causing those limitations to exist for you?

Discuss Ongoing Symptoms with Your Doctor

You will also want to tell your doctor about your ongoing symptoms and the limitations that you notice. This information, who doesn’t often make or break a decision, it can be helpful to Social Security and getting them to better understand what you go through on a daily basis.

You’ll also want to tell your doctor if you have any side effects from your medications. This is for a couple of different reasons. Number one, if there are significant side effects your doctor may want to work with you on either finding a different medication or changing the regimen that they have. Having this discussion can also be helpful because it will often result in that notation being included in your chart, which Social Security will understand.

Honesty is the Best Policy

Finally, above all else, always be honest! Be honest with your doctor about your limitations – don’t sugar-coat them and don’t over-exaggerate them, just be honest.

Social Security Disability Lawyer

If you are disabled and unable to work, click the scheduling link here for a consultation or give us a call directly, so we can set up a chat to see what we can do to help you.