3 Easily Made Mistakes To Avoid When Applying For Social Security Disability
Facing the future without income because you are disabled an unable to work can be scary, so your first step to find some kind of income will likely be to apply for Social Security Disability (SSD). Sadly, even though you may have worked and paid into the Social Security Administration for a lot of years, this money will not be handed back to you without jumping through several hoops and wading through page after page of paperwork during the application process. It is at this initial filing time that most SSD seekers make the biggest mistakes. Here are three big mistakes to ensure you avoid during your application process.
Never over exaggerate your illness or injury.
The SSD application is filled with questions about the extent of your illness or injury. You may assume that if you can make everything sound pretty bad on paper, you will have a fair chance of getting benefits, but you have to be really careful with that mindset. All of the claims you make on this part of the application will have to eventually be backed up by medical evidence before you will be believed. It is important to be honest, describing your problems to the fullest extent you can without over exaggerating claims.
Never list physicians who have no idea of your current condition or do not agree that you are disabled.
It is always a good idea to speak to your currently treating physician to ensure they will be on board with you when you file for SSD. Not all doctors will see injuries and illnesses as a disability, and the last thing you want is a current physician who is not in agreement with your decision to file. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to include the names of doctors who are either not in agreement that you are disabled or who have not treated you in a while.
Never get creative with your employment history.
Applying for SSD is not the same as applying for a job position in which you would give a detailed account of every last skill you have or job you have ever held. The fact is, the more skills you have under your belt, the less likely it will be that a vocational expert consulted in your case will say that your disability is keeping your from doing some form of work. Of course, you have to give an honest list of your job history, but stick with the facts and don't get too elaborate with details.
Talk to a SSD lawyer from a place like Horn & Kelley, PC Attorneys at Law for more information.