Most people who apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will need to be examined by Disability Determination Services (DDS). Fortunately, with a bit of information, you can increase your chances of successfully getting through the process. Here are five things you should know when preparing for your DDS examination:
- DDS will first go over your existing medical records
-
-
- Even before meeting with you, DDS will go over any medical records provided by your doctor or therapist, or which were provided during the SSDI/SSI application process. In some cases, this may be enough for them to make a disability determination on their own. If it is not, however, you will need to be examined in person.
-
- The DDS examination will be carried out by an independent medical professional
-
-
- When you go to DDS, you will be examined by a medical professional with the relevant qualifications to assess your condition. In many ways, this is similar to a doctor’s physical or a psychological exam, where you will be tested for any physical or psychological issues. This is done in order to fill in any gaps in your medical records, and confirm any medical information provided is accurate.
-
- You will also be interviewed about your condition
-
-
- In addition to a physical or psychological exam, you will also be interviewed by your examiner to determine how difficult your issues have been. This is to determine whether your medical condition is severe enough to qualify as a disability. Your prior experience and education will also factor in, as the primary question is whether or not you will be able to work, and a well-educated person has different employment opportunities than a less-educated person.
-
- Your medical issues will be compared to the SSA “Blue Book”
-
-
- Once the examination is complete, your symptoms will be compared to the Social Security Administration’s “Blue Book,” which is a collection of known medical and psychological issues. While it is not strictly required for your condition to match one of these known conditions, it can help immensely if it does. However, the primary determination will be based on how disabling your issues are, not whether it matches exactly with a clear diagnosis.
-
- If you pass, you will be able to receive your disability benefits
-
- Provided you make it through the DDS process, you will then likely be on your way to receiving SSDI or SSI benefits. However, if you run into any issues, you may have legal options available to you. That is why you should speak to a lawyer with experience handling disability claims, who can help you explore your next steps.
If you or a loved one need assistance applying for SSDI or SSI benefits, it is important that you seek the guidance of an experienced Social Security Disability benefits lawyer. The lawyers at Sullivan & Kehoe, LLP have over 50 years of combined experience between its attorneys and are available to you or your loved one in obtaining Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income benefits. To schedule a consultation with our New York Social Security Disability benefits lawyers, call (631) 823-7155.
