What is a Social Security Consultative Examination?
Did you just receive a letter from the Social Security Administration or your local Disability Determination Services scheduling you for a consultative exam? Are you wondering what to expect? Watch this quick video to learn more about the consultative exam, what it is, and what you can expect.
My name is Kaitlin Wildoner, and I’m an attorney focused on helping disabled clients obtain their disability benefits as quickly as possible so they can focus on getting better. Today we’re going to talk about Social Security Disability consultative examinations. Consultative examinations, also known as a consultative exam or a CE for short, are often scheduled by Social Security or Disability Determination Services because they need some more information about your condition.
Why a Consultative Exam?
They might need something as simple as a certain test. For example, in back pain cases, they sometimes send a claimant to a CE for something as simple as just a straight leg raise test. While it may be something your doctor has done, he or she may not have done it in the way that Social Security needs it to be done, or it may not be properly documented in the file. Also imaging, Social Security sometimes wants an updated x-ray (they don’t usually send for MRIs or CTs), but they will sometimes send for an updated x-ray.
Social Security may also send you to a CE if you don’t have ongoing medical treatment. Social Security does need to see ongoing medical treatment in your case, and so if you don’t have any, they may send you to a CE to get a current evaluation of your limitations and capabilities.
Consultative Exam Is Not Treatment!
It’s important to note that the CE doctors are not there to treat your condition. Essentially, they’re there to do strictly what Social Security has asked them to do. They’re not gonna do anything more, and they’re not gonna do anything less. It’s often a very quick appointment, the doctor is usually just doing a very quick exam and getting you out of there. Once the doctor has examined you and they get their report, they do send that report off to Social Security or Disability Determination Services after they finish the exam, so that way, it does become part of your Social Security file.
Social Security Lawyer to Help
If you are disabled and unable to work, click here to schedule a call or give me a call directly for a free consultation where we can discuss what I can do to help you.
