SSD Approved In Under 2 Months

I filed an application for Social Security Disability (“SSD”) benefits last month, which was approved a couple of days ago. That was fast by any standard. I’ve even had compassionate allowances  take longer.

What was different here? The claimant, a former traffic officer, was not directed to go to Industrial Medicine Associates for a consultative exam (“CE”). Why not?

It is possible that no CE was required because the claimant was 63 years old, but I have had other people the same age who were not approved that quickly. It could be that I had just submitted MRI reports revealing herniated discs impinging nerve roots, but similar MRI reports did not prevent demands for a CE. Therefore, it appears that it was the claimant’s age, functionality assessment backed by the MRI reports, and the claimant’s non-sedentary work history that combined for the rapid approval.

I also filed an SSD application last December that was approved last week for a 38 year old former nurse. Once again, the claimant was not asked to attend a CE. What explained the rapid approval considering that the claimant was only 38 years old, and that the disability was multiple sclerosis (“MS”), which is frequently difficult to establish due to periods of remission?

The answer appears to be the strength of the report that we were able to get and submit from the treating neurologist. The report was specifically tailored to address the objective and subjective findings relative to MS, including the criteria for the listing.