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A doctor’s letter can be incredibly important for anyone who is filing for disability. In order to approach your disability claim in the most effective way, it makes sense to consider your disability doctor letter very carefully. This means that you should do your best to avoid common mistakes that people often make in this situation. Obtaining a doctor’s letter might seem like a relatively straightforward task, but as you’ll see, it can be more complicated than you might expect.
If you’re thinking about how to write a disability letter in the most effective way possible, a smart first step is to get in touch with a qualified, experienced disability attorney in Arizona. A legal professional can help you approach your doctor disability letter in the most efficient way possible. You’ll find that with the help of an attorney, getting approved for Social Security disability will be much easier.
Why a Doctor’s Letter is Important
A doctor’s letter is an important part of any disability claim, and the reasons are probably quite obvious. This letter contains proof that your injuries are actually preventing you from working. However, a doctor’s letter is typically only required at the appeal stage, and it may not be required for inclusion with the initial application. Not only can your doctor use their own professional knowledge to explain why your injuries are preventing you from working, but they also have an extensive understanding of your medical history. This makes them the best qualified person to make recommendations as to whether you should work.
Your Doctor Must Go Into Detail
These doctor’s letters aren’t supposed to be brief. Instead, your doctor should go into as much detail as possible. They need to highlight the specific elements of your injuries that are preventing you from working. In addition, your doctor needs to communicate how these limitations are preventing you from working.
One area that the doctor might want to cover is your overall physical strength level. Has your injury impacted your ability to lift objects and conduct other strength-related tasks? These kinds of limitations could be very important if you work primarily with your hands in an industry like construction.
Your doctor might also want to touch upon your range of motion. Do your injuries prevent you from walking, bending, lifting, and balancing? Another key factor to consider is whether your injuries have affected your senses in any way. Loss of sight is a major factor in your ability to work, as is your loss of hearing and touch. For example, it may be impossible for you to work in a kitchen if you have lost your sense of touch, since you can no longer sense when hot pans are burning your skin.
Perhaps one of the most considerable limitations is not associated with the body, but rather the mind. If your injury has left you with cognitive impairment, it may be difficult to reach the same level of achievements you are known for in your current line of work. Brain injuries may prevent you from speaking properly, learning new information, and completing many other tasks. This means that you may no longer have the ability to work in a highly intellectual line of work. For example, a brain injury can prevent a university professor from working effectively.
Your Doctor Shouldn’t Make Any Overt Recommendations
Your doctor’s role is to communicate the severity of your injuries in the letter and to highlight the limitations they have caused. Your doctor should avoid making overt recommendations, such as “this person can no longer be expected to work.” While your doctor can certainly imply this, they should let the disability panel come to their own conclusions.
You Should Choose a Doctor with Knowledge of Your Past
If possible, you should always choose a doctor who has extensive knowledge of your medical history. These medical professionals may have additional insights that a normal doctor won’t understand. For example, you might have had a series of brain injuries in the past. Or perhaps another pre-existing condition makes this new injury even more serious. Whatever the case may be, a doctor with more detailed knowledge of your past can always write a more effective and persuasive doctor’s note.
Is a Doctor’s Letter All I Need to Get Approved?
Your doctor’s letter is only one aspect of your overall disability claim. There are many other steps and documents that need to be included with your claim. These include medical records, medical images, and other things of that nature. Your attorney can help you include everything required for an accepted claim.
Enlist the Help of a Qualified Attorney Today
If you’re trying to obtain a Social Security disability letter from a doctor, get in touch with an attorney before you move further. If you’re not careful, you can easily make a mistake that could reduce your chances of being approved. We’ve gone over some of the most common mistakes people make when approaching this task, but there may be many obstacles that you’re not aware of. Reach out to Pekas Smith, Arizona Disability Attorneys, and we can help you avoid these common mistakes. Don’t let your disability claim be denied because of a simple mistake with your doctor’s letter. Book your consultation today.
