Social Security and the Veterans Administration are required to use a claimant’s medical records to document the nature and severity of their medical conditions. This is the law.
However, you and your doctor are not present at SSA or the VA – only your doctor’s medical records are. The tone of your voice, and how you look or feel are evident during your face-to-face appointment with your doctor, but none of this information gets to SSA or the VA.
We have many customs and greetings in our society, and one of the most common is to humbly express your condition to another person.
For example, your doctor may ask: “How are you doing today?”
And you may respond: “I’m okay.” Or: “I’m fine.”
Guess what gets written down in your chart?
“Patient says she’s okay.”
Or
“Patient says he’s doing fine.”
Or
“Patient has no new complaints.”
To SSA or the VA, claimants who are “okay” or “fine” are not disabled nor seriously impaired! You have tanked your case by minimizing your symptoms without realizing it!
At Geraty Holub and MacQueen, we can help you communicate effectively with your medical providers to ensure your severe medical symptoms are accurately notated in your medical records.
Please call us at (855) 282-7243 to speak with an attorney for a free, confidential consultation. You will receive the most up-to-date information about your Social Security or Veterans disability claim.
It’s about dignity.
