With thousands of Georgia residents applying for Social Security disability benefits each year, the Social Security Administration has implemented strict standards for awarding these benefits. To avoid having your initial claim denied, it is important to make sure you provide the SSA with a complete picture of your disability.
Your goal is to prove to the SSA that you meet its definition of disability. According to the SSA, you have a disability if you can no longer do the work you did before the disability, your disability prevents you from doing other work and your disability has lasted or will last a year or will likely result in death. In 2018, if you earn more than $1,180 per month, you most likely will not be considered disabled by the SSA.
The most important part of your disability application will be establishing your disability through medical records and other medical evidence. You will need to collect medical records from the onset of your disability onward. Your regular doctors, as well as specialists, can thoroughly assess your physical and mental health and their reports will be essential in helping you prove your disability to the SSA. The SSA will also consider your physicians’ credibility, as well as whether you followed doctor’s orders in terms of treatment. Make sure you communicate with your doctor clearly and make sure he or she understands how your condition impacts your life.
You may need more than just medical evidence to recover SSDI benefits. Keep track of your daily activities and note how your illness or impairment negatively impacts your everyday life. Specifically, make sure you are ready to explain how your impairment affects your ability to do tasks you are expected to do at most jobs (e.g. sitting, walking, standing). You may also want to meet with a vocational expert, who can submit a report about your ability to work with your condition. Your coworkers and family members can also submit statements about how your condition affects your everyday life and work life. Make sure that all your claims are consistent and that you do not exaggerate the effects of your condition.
By providing the SSA with quality evidence, you will be more likely to receive disability benefits. However, since this post only provides general information on this topic, those with specific questions about their application for disability will want to seek professional advice.
