HOW YOUR DOCTOR CAN HELP A DISABILITY CASE

Social Security will always ask your doctors to send your medical records.  These are often not sufficient to get your claim paid, however.

You should also ask your doctor to complete a form called "Residual Functional Capacity" or "Medical Source Statement" for you.  Social Security will not ask your doctor for this form in most cases.  It's up to you.

I might also add that most doctors do not have this form in their office.  It's not a form they routinely use, so they will depend on you to furnish the form to them.

A Residual Functional Capacity form is more often used by lawyers than by doctors.  So, a good place to get the form is from an attorney or advocate who does disability work.  My office will send this form to anyone who requests it free of charge.

Once you receive the blank form, you should take it to your doctor's office and request that it be completed.  You should then get the completed, signed form and send it to Social Security.  This should be done after your application for benefits has been submitted and, obviously, before a decision has been made.

The RFC form is only effective if.....

  • It is completed by a medical doctor or clinical psychologist (MD, DO, Ph.D., or Psy.D), or by a licensed Physician's Assistant (PA).  An optometrist can sign forms related to vision disorders.  Disorders of the feet or ankles may be addressed by a podiatrist.
  • It is completed by a doctor or recognized practitioner who has a long term treatment relationship with you and knows your medical conditions well.  So, it should be completed by YOUR doctor, not a special consultant.
Very vague, general statements by doctors are not recognized.  A statement like the following would have no impact on Social Security:  "I have treated this patient for 20 years and, in my opinion, he is disabled and cannot perform any type of job."

Your doctor must address specific limitations in your ability to function, such as:  sitting, standing, reaching, bending, lifting, grasping, handling, etc.  For mental disorders, your doctor should address such functions as:  memory, understanding and following simple directions, responding to supervisors or co-workers, concentration, etc.

For this reason, it is recommended that your doctor use a well designed RFC form instead of a letter.



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