When West Virginia residents seek disability benefits through the Social Security Administration, they must present medical records that spell out their physical or mental limitations. Although an applicant might experience these disabling limitations that prevent holding a job, medical records might not offer much information beyond a diagnosis. To correct this problem, people facing the possibility of disability should explicitly describe their mental or physical difficulties during doctor visits.
Describing problems to a doctor about an inability to walk, lift, bend or think clearly could increase the chances of these symptoms appearing in medical records. A doctor might not necessarily write this information in treatment notes unless it is specifically addressed during office visits.
The Social Security Administration will look specifically for details about the loss of physical or mental abilities when making a determination about disability benefits. A diagnosis about a disabling condition might not be sufficient to award benefits without documented evidence of the applicant’s inability to obtain gainful employment. The administration gives significant weight to a doctor’s opinion about a patient’s mental or physical condition.
A person who needs to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance might want the assistance of an attorney. Legal counsel could help a client gather the documents necessary for a disability filing. In addition, the attorney could organize medical records and prepare the full application. This could result in a thorough application that might fulfill requirements for benefits. In the event of a benefit denial, the attorney could guide the client through the process of a reconsideration and appeal.