WHY SOME DOCTORS WON'T HELP YOU WITH A DISABILITY CLAIM

You have applied for Social Security disability.  Your attorney wants to get a form completed by your doctor detailing your restrictions and limitations in the ability to perform certain work-like activities.  Your doctor says, "We don't fill out those forms," or "we don't like to get involved."


Why do so many doctors take this unhelpful approach with their patients?

REASON 1:  Doctors don't understand how important their input is to Social Security.  They often assume that supplying their routine medical records is all that is needed.  It isn't, because medical records say nothing about the patient's ability to lift, sit, stand, bend, reach, push, pull or walk.

REASON 2:  Doctors often think that the form requested will require a long, complicated or special examination.  This is not true.  What Social Security wants is the doctor's professional opinion, based strictly on his/her treatment, past examinations and observations.

REASON 3:  Doctor's mistakenly think that Social Security may subpoena them or call them to come in and attend a hearing or provide more testimony.  This is an unfounded fear.  Social Security never (and I mean "never") calls in doctors.  If they want a doctor to come in, they have their own medical experts who are paid by Social Security.

REASON 4:  Doctors have an unreasonable, illogical fear of all things about Government.  One doctor told one of my clients, "I can't afford to risk losing my medical license."  Reality:  No doctor has ever been put at risk of losing a medical license by expressing an honest opinion about his or her patient's symptoms or limitations.  There is no risk at all.  Social Security may ignore the doctor's opinion but unless there has been a clear crime (a doctor is paid a bribe to render an opinion)--there is no risk of penalty to the doctor.

REASON 5:  The doctor simply doesn't want to take the time to fill out a form, even if it means his patient will not be able to get health insurance and monthly payments that he or she has paid for during their entire working life.  In short, and this is blunt: The doctor doesn't give a ____ whether the patient gets a disability benefit or not.

Fortunately, some doctors really care about their patients and will complete paperwork needed for a fair disability review, especially if you take time to explain why this is needed and that there is no risk to the doctor beyond a little of his or her time.