Social Security Disability: Don’t Make This Common Mistake
If you find yourself needing to file for Social Security disability benefits, the application process can seem like a confusing maze. There are many small errors that, even though common, can cause your application to be denied. One of these common mistakes is the failure to disclose all of your impairments, both physical and mental.
A lot of applicants falsely believe that things like anxiety and depression don’t matter if they suffer from a physical ailment. However, when disability claims examiners consider your application, it is best for them to have access to all information regarding both your physical and mental conditions. This gives them a greater picture of who you are. Since the purpose of Social Security disability is to help those who are unable to work, examiners need to know the full extent of all your impairments that prevent you from working – not just the one that you feel is most important.
Sometimes applicants are simply not aware of the full extent of their related conditions. For example, you might feel a brain injury makes it difficult for you to work from a physical standpoint. When you apply for disability benefits, you automatically include all relevant information regarding your medical condition. However, if there are mental or psychological symptoms as well, the disability examiners need to know about them. In many cases it makes sense for an applicant to see a psychologist for testing before filing the application with Social Security. Often there are additional impairments that have yet to be discovered.
In same cases, an applicant may have conditions which he or she believes to be mild. However, it sometimes happens that several mild conditions combined together help the applicant to be granted disability benefits. For this reason, never omit any information about your condition when filing for Social Security disability. When you supply a comprehensive view of all your conditions, it is much easier for examiners to understand the difficulty you have working. Every detail is important, and you have a better chance of being approved for benefits if you supply all the information you have at your disposal.
