The Social Security Administration (SSA) will not take you at your word on any part of your Social Security Disability (SSDI) case. When you make your claim and attempt to get needed benefits, they want to see medical evidence backing up everything that you’re telling them. This is a must. A lack of evidence, or even evidence that is not comprehensive enough, can lead to a denial.
It’s important to get records that span the entirety of your condition, when possible. Whenever your disability began, those initial records can show that you got medical care and what the doctors believed was wrong at the time. Showing that you got immediate care also speaks to the severity of your disability, and it gives officials a timeframe so that they can understand when this began.
At the same time, though, you want to provide the most current records you have. They show that the issues have persisted and they illustrate exactly where you are with this disability at the time of the filing. A lack of recovery can help show how a full recovery is not expected in the future or at least for some time.
If possible, it is also wise to include records that make it clear that you cannot do your job. Maybe you have a spinal cord injury that means you can’t walk without assistance or a brain injury that leaves you feeling exhausted 24/7. No matter what the disability is, you want to show how it impacts your employment and what that means for your future.
Gathering information is very important as you work through this process. Make sure you know exactly what steps you need to take.
