Disability lawyers in St Louis Missouri may prove to be valuable allies if you have applied for disability or plan to in the future. One way an attorney may be able to help you is by working with your treating doctor to provide medical opinions. This is an important part of some disability hearings. The Social Security Administration, or SSA, often wants medical opinions from treating doctors to gain a perspective on medical evidence. These opinions provide the SSA with important information about your impairments and ability to work.
Definition of a Treating Doctor
According to the SSA, a treating doctor is defined as the medical professional who is in the best position to provide a detailed and longitudinal picture of you and your impairments. A treating doctor is important in a disability hearing because he or she brings a perspective to medical evidence and facts. This perspective may not otherwise be obtainable just by looking at the medical findings.
What the SSA Needs from Treating Doctors
The SSA will likely ask your treating doctor for information related to your impairments. For example, the SSA might want to know how long your impairments have lasted and how severe they are. The information the SSA needs includes observations and opinions on your abilities and how your impairments affect them. The SSA may request information pertaining to how your impairments affect your work and daily living activities. These opinions are used by the SSA to form accurate conclusions about your ability to work.
Contact Disability Lawyers in St Louis Missouri
If you are planning on applying for disability or already have, contact David M. Hicks at (314) 812-4885 for a consultation. Earning disability benefits can be a difficult process, but with the help of a lawyer, the journey might be easier. Disability lawyers in St Louis Missouri may be able to help in a variety of ways, such as working with your treating doctor to provide medical opinions.