Working With Your Attorney to Build Strong Medical Evidence

The Social Security Administration (SSA) states that "medical evidence is the cornerstone for the determination of disability." This means that you and your Staten Island Social Security disability lawyer must work closely together in order to build a strong disability claim that is founded on medical evidence.

Your attorney will likely want to know about the types of doctors you are visiting and the frequency of visits and treatments. They will encourage you to keep all appointments and closely follow your physicians' medical advice.

According to the SSA, there are certain types of medical professionals whose findings and testimony will qualify as "acceptable medical sources." Listed below are a few of the types of medical professionals whose findings can be counted in your medical evidence: 

• Licensed physicians;
• Psychologists who are licensed and/or certified (only to comment on mental retardation, learning disabilities or intellectual functioning);
• Licensed or certified speech pathologists (only to comment on disabilities related to language or speech);
• Optometrists (only to comment on visual disorders); and
• Podiatrists (only to comment on foot/and or ankle conditions that affect a person's ability to work.  

Your Staten Island Social Security disability lawyer can talk to you about your condition(s) and what types of medical professionals you should be working with in order to fully document your various disabilities. Remember that you enjoy an attorney-client privilege with your lawyer, so you do not need to feel self-conscious or nervous about divulging this confidential information as you work together to build your case. 

For more information about the importance of medical evidence in your disability claim, visit our article library.

Before you file your Social Security disability claim, be sure to take advantage of this free consumer's guide: 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Filing a Social Security Disability Claim. Contact the Staten Island Social Security disability lawyers at Decker, Decker, Dito & Internicola for help in building your disability claim - 1-800-976-4904.