Two Heads Are Better Than One

While statistics show that most applications for Social Security Disability (“SSD”) benefits are denied initially, about half of my clients’ applications are approved initially. A major reason for the success can be attributed to supplying medical evidence from more than one treating doctor, which is why two heads are better than one. I represent a 55 year old truck driver, whose application was approved today only three months after I submitted his application, and less than two months after I submitted records from several of his doctors.

First, to ensure that the claim could not be rejected for a lack of “objective” evidence, I submitted a lumbar MRI that revealed herniated and bulging discs impinging the thecal sac and L4 and S1 nerve roots. The second report was a consultative narrative report from a spine specialist that detailed the claimant’s positive clinical findings, such as tenderness, muscle spasms, restricted ranges of motion, and abnormal sensation. The third report was a detailed narrative from the claimant’s pain management doctor, which detailed clinical exam findings and concluded that. “THE PATIENT IS TOTALLY DISABLED”. The last document was an EMG that revealed a chronic right L5 radiculopathy.

Submitting a combination of medical records that detail the positive clinical exam and diagnostic test findings, together with functionality opinions, maximizes the chances of securing SSD benefits without having to await a hearing.