In about 1 case out of 3, Social Security will send the disability claimant for a consultative examination by one of their doctors.
It may sound like a good idea. But usually not. Here's why:
Social Security doctors rarely do anything to help your disability claim. They usually hurt your claim and give Social Security a reason to deny your benefit. Why?
1. These doctors don't know you, have never laid eyes on you, and have no idea about your medical history--except what you tell them in the 10 or 15 minutes allowed during the exam.
2. The exam will be brief and usually incomplete. If there is no obvious deformity, the doctor usually finds no impairment serious enough to meet Social Security's very strict definition of disability.
3. The doctor may not be a specialist. He or she may have limited experience with the particular area of impairment that you have.
4. No tests are usually done. While a consultative exam might sometimes include a simple test like an X-ray, don't expect more costly tests like an MRI or CT scan. So, don't expect a doctor to find much wrong by laying a stethoscope on your chest and punching on your belly.
5. The rules for Social Security are so strict that very severe medical impairments are required for approval. These impairments are unlikely to be discovered during a 20 minute exam with a general practitioner and no comprehensive testing.
6. Social Security bases decisions, not on your medical diagnosis, but on your specific functional limitations: how long can you sit, stand and walk? How much can you lift. How often will you need a break? Doctors don't provide these answers during an exam, and if they did, their estimates would be unreasonably optimistic.
7. Frankly, the Social Security doctor has no incentive to uncover a disabling impairment. His or her goal is to move you through the office, get through the routines, and send out a bill. It's usually mechanical, quick and inconclusive. They only find the obvious that can see with their naked eye.
But....doesn't Social Security send me to the doctor so they can approve my benefits? No, they send you to a doctor so they can close your case, often with a denial.
What's the alternative to becoming a victim of a hurried Social Security doctor?
Use your own medical evidence--from your own doctors--to prove your disability. Over the months and years of treatment, your own doctor(s) will perform exams, tests and observations that will find and document your medical problems. The records are what wins disability cases. If you have to depend entirely on an exam by a Social Security consultative doctor, there is no more than a 10 percent chance of approval.
"The path to Social Security disability approval runs straight through your doctor's office." Try to get regular medical treatments and establish a history with your doctor. See a specialist if you can. It's better to have an established relationship with your doctor. Avoid having all your care at the emergency room or from a walk in clinic. This will benefit you if you ever have to file for disability.
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