When applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), your medical records are crucial to your claim. These documents provide essential evidence of your condition and its impact on your ability to work. Comprehensive and accurate medical documentation can strengthen your case and increase your chances of approval.
Types of Medical Records to Submit
To build a strong SSDI claim, gather the following types of medical records:
- Treatment Notes: Detailed accounts of your visits to healthcare providers, including symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment plans.
- Diagnostic Test Results: X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, blood work, and other relevant test results that confirm your condition.
- Specialist Evaluations: Reports from specialists who have assessed your condition and its impact on your functionality.
- Medication Records: Documentation of prescribed medications, dosages, and any side effects.
- Hospitalization Records: Records of any hospital stays related to your disability.
- Therapy Notes: Documentation from physical, occupational, or mental health therapy sessions.
Steps to Request Your Medical Records
- Identify Your Healthcare Providers: Make a list of all doctors, hospitals, and clinics you’ve visited for your condition.
- Contact Each Provider: Reach out to the medical records department of each facility.
- Complete Authorization Forms: Sign release forms to obtain your records.
- Specify the Records Needed: Request all records related to your disabling condition, including the abovementioned types.
- Follow-Up: Regularly check on the status of your requests to ensure timely processing.
Challenges in Obtaining Medical Records
Gathering medical records can be a complex process. You may encounter:
- Delays in processing requests
- Incomplete or inaccurate records
- Fees for copying and sending records
- Difficulty obtaining older records
Submitting Your Medical Records
When submitting your records to the Social Security Administration (SSA):
- Organize Your Documents: Arrange records chronologically and by healthcare provider.
- Create a Medical Source Statement: Ask your primary doctor to provide a detailed statement about your condition and limitations.
- Submit Records Promptly: Provide all available records with your initial application or as soon as possible.
- Keep Copies: Maintain duplicates of all submitted documents for your records.
- Continue to Update: If you receive new medical evidence after submission, promptly send it to the SSA.
Timelines and Follow-Up
- Submit initial records within 60 days of your application date.
- Respond to any SSA requests for additional information within the specified timeframe (usually 10-30 days).
- Follow up with the SSA to confirm receipt of your records.
- If denied, you have 60 days to appeal and submit any new or additional medical evidence.
Getting Help Requesting and Filing Medical Records
Although gathering and submitting your medical documents can be challenging, it is a crucial step in securing the benefits you need. If you feel overwhelmed or unsure about any part of this process, consider seeking help from an experienced disability lawyer.
A disability lawyer can:
- Identify and obtain all necessary medical records
- Review your records for completeness and relevance
- Help you understand which records are most critical to your claim
- Help obtain medical source statements from your healthcare providers
- Manage timely submission of all documents to the SSA
- Represent you in appeals if your initial claim gets denied
If you need to file a disability claim and would like the assistance of a lawyer, contact our office for a free consultation. We’re here to help ensure your application is as strong as possible, giving you the best chance of approval for your SSDI benefits.