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  7. Keep a Journal to Strengthen Your Social Security Disability Application

Keep a Journal to Strengthen Your Social Security Disability Application

If you’re planning on submitting an application for Social Security Disability benefits, one thing that could significantly increase your chances of being approved is maintaining a detailed journal of the severity of your disability and how it affects your ability to complete everyday tasks. You’ll discover that most professional Social Security disability attorneys agree that maintaining a detailed journal that addresses your illnesses or pain experienced on a day to day basis is one of the best ways to strengthen your claim.

When writing in your journal make sure to add all the tasks and activities that your disability prevents you from completing. Definitely always include the time and date of any accidents related to your disability. This could include the instance of a seizure, headache, or a period of crippling body pain. Document the duration of these occurrences and determine what situations cause these periods of pain, in addition to any medications that help reduce the symptoms. Write down all the medications you’re taking and note whether they produce any adverse side effects. Narrowing down the specific body parts that are affected by pain in addition to including the severity of the pain may also help show the amount of pain you’re experiencing.

Possessing enough information about your disability will help strengthen your case if a judge is required to decide whether you should receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Be aware that saying you’re in pain will not suffice. You must descriptively write down anything you’re experiencing as a result of your disability. Make sure to be extremely detailed in your journal without appearing as if you’re exaggerating.

Describing pain is extremely difficult since other people are unable to feel what you’re experiencing, making it subjective. This is why a judge cannot simply award you SSDI or SSI benefits just because you say you’re in pain; you have to provide sufficient details to help depict your pain severity.

These journals are extremely beneficial, especially for conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, chronic pain, and anxiety. A potential method to be approved for SSDI or SSI benefits is to prove to the judge that you’re unable to work due to your condition. Explain in your journal descriptively how your disability prevents you from working. If the judge recognizes that you cannot work due to your disability, he or she will be more likely to decide in your favor. Maintaining a journal is definitely helpful if you want a favorable ruling.

Effectively describing and explaining your disabling condition will be the key to success in your disability claim. This is because it will aid the judge in deciding whether or not you should be awarded SSDI or SSI benefits in addition to assisting doctors, caseworkers, and anyone assigned to your cause to entirely grasp what you’re struggling with on a day to day basis. Your pain is preventing you from functioning properly; you need to effectively depict this if you wish to receive a ruling in your favor, the success of your Social Security disability claim depends on it.

You do not need to integrate complicated formal writing styles into your journal. Instead, maintain a simple but illustrative writing pattern that depicts your daily experiences with feelings, pain and the effect your condition has on a day to day basis. Cautiously decide which words to use especially when writing about your feelings. By supplying a greater perspective into your disabling condition, you can significantly raise your chances of a successful Social Security disability claim.