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Tips for Filing a Stronger Disability Claim

columbusdisability.com November 20, 2013
By Eric Jones, Attorney

Tips for Filing a Stronger Disability Claim

There is no formula for filing a winning Social Security disability claim. Because claims are as varied as medical impairments, each disability claim is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Lack of sufficient evidence is the number one reason claims are denied. A common error is to omit some treating sources from the initial application. Be sure you list every relevant treating doctor, hospital, counselor, therapist, etc. for at least two years before the onset of your disability. Attach additional sheets of paper to your application if you need the room.

When completing the section on work information, provide complete and detailed answers on the physical requirements of your previous jobs – how long you stood or sat, how often you stooped or bent, how much you lifted and how often. These answers concern what you used to do, not what you can do now. Be sure to give a complete 15-year history – one that dates from when your disability began.

If you have done any work after you became disabled, provide full information about those jobs, too. This information is especially important if you were unable to hold those jobs for long due to your disability.

Were you given any additional questionnaires? If so, be very detailed with them. The outcome of your initial application could depend on your answers. Neither exaggerate nor minimize your impairment or your activities.

Lastly, make a copy or two of everything you submit. In an organization as big as the Social Security Administration, documents sometimes are misplaced.

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