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HOW MUCH MEDICAL EVIDENCE IS NEEDED?

If you feel you are disabled and are considering a Social Security disability claim (SSDI), you should consider how much medical evidence you have.  A successful SSDI claim these days requires substantial medical proof. Let me use the example of an individual with back pain as an illustration.  The claimant is 44 years old and suffers regular pain in the mid to low back.  He describes the pain as 8 on a 0 to 10 pain scale.  It is made worse by sitting, standing, walking, bending or lifting.  The pain often wakes him up at night.  This man has been to the emergency room several times where doctors have diagnosed "chronic back pain" and prescribed muscle relaxers and pain pills.  He has stopped working for now. Social Security will have problems with this claim because: 1)  The cause of the back pain is not known.  There have been no X-rays or MRIs to see if there is a disc or spine problem. The pain could be caused by a he...
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3 WAYS TO GET DISABILITY APPROVED

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There are 3 basic ways to get Social Security disability approved.  First, let me say that it is not easy for most claimants and it is much harder than merely filing an application.  Let me walk through the 3 basic scenarios in which Social Security will approve benefits: MEET OR EQUAL A LISTING.  This is not how most claimants get approved because most will not meet a Listing.  So, what's a Listing.  Listings are simply diseases or impairments  that are recognized by Social Security as disabling when a long list of symptoms are severe or advanced.  Most claimants who eventually get approved will not meet a listing because their symptoms are not severe enough to do so. USE A MEDICAL-VOCATIONAL GUIDELINE OR "GRID RULE."  Grid rules are also published by Social Security.  They apply only to individuals who are age 50 or over.  The grids are just that--grids that combine age, education, past relevant work (skills) and residual...
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FIBROMYALGIA AND SSDI BENEFITS

Fibromyalgia is a disease of the nervous system which affects the body's connective tissues.  It causes diffuse pain in muscles and joints, soreness, stiffness and what some sufferers describe as confusion or "mental fog." When it comes to getting Social Security disability benefits for Fibromyalgia, it can be a long, tough fight. There is no Listing for fibromyalgia.  So, there is no automatic list of criteria which qualify for SSDI benefits.  The claimant must show that she cannot perform the activities of full-time work because of the symptoms of fibromyalgia.  Here are some things that may help: Seek treatment from a qualified rheumatologist, the specialist most qualified to diagnose and treat fibromyalgia.  It is the American College of Rheumatology that publishes the diagnostic guidelines for fibromyalgia. See your doctor regularly and follow prescribed treatment. Report side effects of medicine and try to get your doctor to adjust/change it as ...
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