Understanding Medical Source Statements And Medical Evidence
When you're young or healthy, you generally don't give much thought to the idea of needing disability assistance. Given the many turns of life, you might find yourself in an unfortunate situation where you do need social security disability assistance. Since most people don't exactly plan on this, once they are involved in the process of applying for this type of benefit, they often get overwhelmed. This is especially true when it comes to understanding required documents, such as medical evidence and medical source statements. Although you might think they are one-and-the-same, familiarizing yourself with their key differences will make the process easier and less stressful.
Medical Source Statements
The most important thing to remember about medical source statements is that they are basically the opinion of your physician. While most doctors will rely on your medical history and testing to formulate their opinion, at its very core, this statement is an explanation of what your doctor thinks is the nature of your condition and how severe it is. Many people are under the impression that because this is simply an opinion, it doesn't hold any weight during the examination of your claim; however, this is not the case.
If your doctor's claim is well supported by medical research, this can have a positive influence on your claim's decision. During your initial visit, if your doctor believes you are suffering from a physical impairment, request that they complete this form. Having this form on hand early on can help move your case along faster.
Medical Evidence
You could call medical evidence the meat of your claim. This is the documentation that serves as proof that you do in fact have a disability. No matter what the source of the disability, it's virtually impossible to have a claim approved without this documentation. Medical evidence must include information such as a physical examination report, x-ray results or other diagnostic testing information.
While your particular claim may not have to include each of these different elements, you will need to at least have some medical record that quantifies your condition. When it comes to preparing this type of documentation, having an attorney is very important. An attorney can help advise you as to what type of testing and documentation you need to request from your physician to positively influence your claim.
When it comes to your social security disability claim, your attorney should be your primary information source. Your social security lawyer will have the knowledge to not only help explain the different required documents to you, but also offer feedback as to how they specifically apply to your case.