YOUR DOCTOR'S ROLE IN A DISABILITY DECISION

Your doctor always plays a vital role in your Social Security disability decision, whether he wants to or not.  Even by refusing to "get involved" in the disability determination process, the doctor is playing a potentially devastating role, even though he may not realize it.

Most doctors will provide medical records for Social Security decision makers to review.  These are often not enough for a fair decision because they do not address any functional limitations and may not address severity of symptoms.

Doctors may not decide who is disabled and who is not because this is reserved for the Commissioner of Social Security.

I usually ask doctors of my clients to complete a form, such as HA-1151-BK, which asks for the doctor's opinion on specific functional limitations.

What can you do if your doctor hesitates or refuses to complete a Social Security form for you?
1)  Try to speak to the doctor personally, which probably involves an appointment with him.
2) Explain that you are not asking for a special examination or a statement about whether or not you are disabled.  
3)  Offer to pay a reasonable fee because the form does take a few extra minutes of the doctor's time.