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Do Doctors Make Decisions about SSDI Claims?

The process for getting Social Security Disability Insurance is quite complicated. If you are injured or unable to work for another reason, contacting an experienced SSDI attorney could be the best decision, especially if, like most SSDI applicants, your SSDI benefits are denied.
Author: Sara Goldstein	Article Tools:

Going through the application process for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is frustrating for almost everyone. It’s already frustrating to be unable to work due to an injury or medical condition, and having to prove to the government that you are unable to work adds to that frustration. On top of that, the vast majority of SSDI applicants (about two-thirds) are denied the first time and more than half are denied the second time as well. In fact, it’s extremely difficult to get Social Security Disability benefits in North Carolina, Virginia, or any state without an experienced SSDI attorney.

Understandably, if you’ve been denied SSDI benefits, you want to know just who is making that decision. Since your eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance depends on how the specifics of your injury or medical condition hinder your ability to work, it would make sense that a doctor or other medical professional would make that decision. However, the SSDI claims system is actually quite a byzantine bureaucracy that is nearly impossible to navigate unless you have a competent Social Security lawyer.

Who decides if I get SSDI benefits?

The first step for filing an SSDI benefits application is to get extensive medical documentation of your injury or medical condition, specifically how it makes you unable to work. It is recommended that you consult with a Social Security lawyer to get your paperwork in order, since any mistakes or missing documents can result in denial of your SSDI benefits.

When you actually file your Social Security Disability Insurance claim at the Social Security Administration office, the first person to look over it is the Social Security Claims Representative. Unfortunately for these underpaid government employees, many SSDI applicants who have been denied mistakenly think their claims representative is the person who denied their SSDI benefits and direct their frustration toward the person at the window. In actuality, the claims representative has no decision-making authority. He or she simply sends your paperwork on the state disability agency.

At the state disability agency, your claim is assigned to a Disability Examiner who signs off on the decision regarding your SSDI benefits. The Disability Examiner looks over your paperwork and determines whether a doctor’s opinion is necessary to decide your case. If so, the DE sets up a consultative medical examination in which a doctor, psychiatrist, or other medical professional evaluates the extent to which your disability prevents you from working.

The Role of Doctors in Approving/Denying SSDI Claims

Doctors or medical professionals impact the SSDI claims process at two stages—the medical examination and the final review. It won’t necessarily be the same doctor involved in both steps. First, if necessary, the doctor assigned by the Disability Examiner evaluates your disability and makes a recommendation to the DE determining if your injury or condition qualifies for SSDI benefits.

Some Disability Examiners are considered “single decision makers,” meaning that they have the authority to approve or deny your SSDI claim after seeing your paperwork and the results of the consultative medical examination if there is one. If the DE does not have that authority, his or her decision will be reviewed by another doctor before it becomes final. The types of SSDI claims that most often require physician approval are those that involve psychiatric or mental health disabilities.

Clearly, the process for getting Social Security Disability Insurance is quite complicated. If you are injured or unable to work for another reason, contacting an experienced SSDI attorney could be the best decision, especially if, like most SSDI applicants, your SSDI benefits are denied. A Social Security Disability lawyer can help you navigate the even more complex SSDI appeal process, which involves review boards, judges, and may even end up in Federal District Court.

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If your SSDI benefits have been denied or you are unable to work because of an injury or medical condition in Virginia or North Carolina, please visit the SSDI attorneys of Kalfus & Nachman online for a free consultation on how to get your SSDI benefits approved.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-sara-goldstein-4751.html

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