What Factors Can Impact Me Winning My Social Security Disability Claim?

While there are many factors that may have an influence on your chances of receiving a favorable outcome in your Indiana Social Security disability claim, Indianapolis disability Lawyer Scott D. Lewis finds a few factors always seem to stand out.  By no means are these the only areas you should be concerned with, but in Social Security disability attorney Scott Lewis’ experience they usually play an important role in your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claim.

1. The Social Security disability claimant’s medical records.  Indiana disability attorney Scott Lewis strives to emphasize to his clients that the majority of successful Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims have a well documented medical record history.  If you believe the Social Security Administration (SSA) is going to just take your word on your disabling condition, you may be in for a big surprise when you receive your decision in the mail.
2. How credible the disability claimant is.  In other words, are you telling the truth?  You can probably guess that the Social Security Administration has seen its share of individuals stretching the truth when it comes to how disabling their condition really is.  Indiana disability benefits attorney Scott Lewis attempts to tell all of his clients it is important to be truthful.  In Mr. Lewis’ experience, in general, if the SSA or an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) believes you are not being truthful about one thing, chances are they may not believe you on other aspects of your disability claim.
3. The Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) that is assigned to the disability claim.  This is a big one!  The amount of claims each individual judge approves varies and each ALJ’s approval rating is all over the board.  Some statistics state the average approval rating at the hearing level is around 60 percent.  What does that mean?  Well as they say, “you do the math.”  That means some judges are much higher than that and some judges are much lower.  If you get one of these Administrative Law Judges that denies far more claims than they approve there is not much you can do.  Indiana disability lawyer Scott D. Lewis usually has access to statistical information to let his clients know the judges approval rating and attempts to prepare his disability client for what kind of hearing he/she can expect with that particular judge.  The assignment of judges is random and sometimes you may be the unlucky one to be assigned an ALJ that you may not perceive as fair.

How can you improve your chances of winning your Indiana Social Security disability benefits claim?  In Scott Lewis’ experience, you should be diligent in seeing your medical professionals when necessary and be realistic about what your limitations are.  Even if you are assigned a judge that turns down most of the claims he/she hears, it is still difficult for the judge to say “no” to a well documented, well founded claim.

Scott Lewis is an Indianapolis Social Security disability attorney that takes great pride in helping disabled individuals with their claims.  Mr. Lewis handles a wide array of claims including, but not limited to, cancer, depression, arthritis, emphysema, spinal disorders, and bipolar disorder.