A key part of having your Social Security Disability (SSI) claim accepted is gathering the documents that are necessary to prove that you have a qualifying medical condition. To prove this, you will need to gather the right medical records.
The Importance of Medical Documents
The Social Security Disability Administration (SSA) denies most claims on the first try. One of the most common reasons why a claim is denied the first time is that the claimant did not provide enough medical documents.
Speak with all of your medical specialists about your intention to apply for SSI. You must submit certain key documents to improve your odds of getting approved. There is no way to create a complete list so make sure to speak with a disability attorney about any other type of documents you may need.
Emergency Room Logs
If you visited the emergency room, make sure to include emergency room logs. This is an official record that you were hospitalized. If your condition was severe, you would likely need immediate medical attention and this can be demonstrated through the log.
Diagnosis
You must provide medical records to show that you received an official diagnosis by a medical professional. The documentation must show any complications that you suffered and any symptoms that came with your diagnosis. The SSA takes into consideration all of your conditions when deciding whether you should qualify.
Treatments
If you are prescribed any treatments due to your condition, these treatment records must be provided. This is to show that you are taking your health and recovery seriously and are following a treatment plan. Also, the SSA will need to see how you are responding to your treatment and whether the treatment will affect your ability to return to work.
Tests and the Results
If you have undergone any medical tests, you must provide records showing that you underwent the tests and any results. The SSA may require that you undergo a particular test to qualify for SSI. Fortunately, there is a blue book that you can look over with a disability attorney that can help you determine all of the requirements that you must meet to be accepted by the SSA.
Past medical records can be important if they are relevant to your case, but you should otherwise rely on your current medical records. Your current records need to show the extent of your injuries currently.
