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  5. Why You Should See A Specialist Before Applying For Social Security Disability Benefits

Why You Should See A Specialist Before Applying For Social Security Disability Benefits

One of the best ways to strengthen your Social Security disability application is to work a specialist to diagnose your medical condition. A family physician is a great start, but the Social Security Administration (SSA) naturally considers a diagnosis from a medical specialist to be a more accurate reflection of your medical condition.  If you’re planning on submitting an application for Social Security disability benefits, it’s recommended that you visit a medical specialist beforehand but seeing one during the SSD application process is certainly a great way to add to your disability claim.

Why See a Specialist?

The addition of a diagnosis from a certified specialist shows the SSA that your medical condition is truly genuine and is a critical part of your disability claim; whether your disability prevents you from working or not.  Simply put, the diagnosis from a specialist is considered more credible than the diagnosis from a family physician. This is primarily due to the fact that specialists require substantial experience and medical training, even more than general doctors. The SSA views the reports of a specialist so highly that most professional Social Security disability lawyers will practically force you to contact one immediately before they even consider helping build your disability claim.

Make An Appointment

You can begin obtaining a diagnosis from a specialist by making an appointment with one. Typically, you should speak with your primary physician about scheduling an appointment with a specialist. This is because you can explain to your physician that you’re building a disability claim and wish to be seen by a specialist to strengthen your disability application. Your doctor can easily refer you to a specialist where you can obtain your diagnosis.

You Can Visit More Than One Specialist

While the majority of Social Security disability applicants only struggle with one certain disability, if you are someone who has several disabilities, it’s perfectly acceptable to seek the diagnosis of several specialists to build your disability claim. So if you are applying for SSD benefits mainly because you recently lost your leg in an accident, but you also struggle with severe depression, seeking a psychiatrist in addition to a medical specialist can help build your claim. When the SSA is deciding on whether you are eligible for SSD benefits, they review every and all information you submit to them. The more information, the higher chance of being approved for Social Security disability benefits.

You Can Still Use A Diagnosis From A Specialist For An Appeal

Even those who truly have a disability and require Social Security disability benefits are denied by the SSA in the first round of the application process. If you were recently denied and planned on appealing your disability claim decision, it’s highly recommended you speak with a specialist who will evaluate you and consider you disabled. Several individuals applied for SSD benefits and were denied but didn’t see a specialist before or during the application process. Seeking the diagnosis of a specialist has been shown to increase the likelihood of being approved for SSD benefits even for those who were initially denied.

The takeaway here is that you should seriously consider contacting a specialist for an evaluation of your disability if you wish to have the best chance of being approved for SSD benefits. Fortunately, the majority of professional Social Security disability lawyers require a diagnosis from a specialist before they even consider taking a look at your claim.