- Make sure when you go to your medical providers that you NEVER tell them you are fine. Tell them EVERYTHING that is limiting you. This includes the nurses when they ask how you are doing.
- Always tell your doctors the truth. They write down a lot more than you think.
- If you are currently or were using illegal drugs (i.e. marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, downers, uppers), make sure you start or continue going to AA and/or NA. If a judge thinks your disability is at all affected by drug use then they will turn you down. By law a judge has to do this and will as judges do not typically award people who use drugs.
- Stop using any illegal drugs if you are currently using them. Doctors do drug tests and do not always tell you about them.
- Let us know about every doctor you have seen from the date you claim you became disabled to present. We have to get all your medical records by law.
- If you go see a specialist or change doctors, let us know. Without this information there will be holes in your medical evidence which could cause you to lose your case.
- If your doctors tell you to take certain medications take them, and if a doctor sets up an appointment with another doctor, go see them. If your doctor suggests you go see a specialist try to go see them.
- Make sure you are seeing your doctors on a regular basis (i.e. once a month or every few months). If a judge sees you are not seeing your doctors on a regular basis, they will think your disability does not affect you very much.
- When you decide you do not like your doctor, do not stop seeing them right away. Either keep going to them or if you can find another doctor.
- Do not miss appointments unless you simply cannot make it due to trouble getting there. When this happens, call your doctor and tell them you won't be able to make it.
- When social security sets up a time for you to go see a doctor, do not miss the appointment. You have to go.
- Ask your doctor if they will fill out a form stating what you can or cannot do (i.e. length of time sitting, standing, walking, or how much you can lift) this can be very helpful. Doctors call this a functional assessment.
- If you have seizures, keep a log of when and what you were doing when they happened.
- Report all your earnings to the IRS. Judges look at your earnings and this can affect your case.
- If you start working, call us and tell us. This can dramatically affect your case.
Call Coats & Todd toll free at 1-800-856-1031 for a free consultation. There are no attorney fees unless we win your case. Our Richardson, Texas office has a large staff to answer your questions, including Spanish speakers.
