After attending countless appointments with your trusted, long-time physician, they may devastatingly diagnose you with a disability. You may believe this is enough grounds to file a Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits application. Shortly after your submission, though, you may be surprised to learn that the Social Security Administration (SSA) wants you to see another doctor. While hesitant about this, you may also be afraid that a failure to attend will jeopardize your entire case. If this is what you are currently up against, please read on to discover why you were asked to visit an SSA-approved doctor for your claim and how a seasoned New Jersey SSDI attorney at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur can help you navigate these medical examinations properly.
Why would the SSA require me to see one of their doctors?
You may feel more comfortable knowing that the SSA is not asking you to receive medical treatment from a doctor whom you have never met. Rather, the Administration may request that you attend a consultative examination with this pre-approved doctor. This requirement may come about if the Disability Determination Services (DDS) finds that they need greater medical evidence to establish whether or not you have a qualifying disability for SSDI benefits.
For example, your most recent treatment records may be considerably outdated or otherwise have large time gaps in between them. Or, you may have gotten treatment from multiple doctors, all of whom have provided conflicting information in their notes. While the SSA-approved doctor from your consultative examination does not automatically carry more authority than your long-term doctor, their report may still significantly influence the outcome of your benefits claim.
What happens if I refuse to go to an SSA-approved doctor?
Understandably, you may disagree with the SSA’s order to attend a consultative examination with one of their pre-approved doctors. If you believe your existing medical records already satisfy the SSA’s evidence requirements, the SSA wants you to see the wrong type of specialist, or this examination is generally inappropriate for your case, you may ask your attorney to intervene.
That is, your attorney may submit additional treatment notes, diagnostic tests, etc., from your current doctor that you missed in your initial SSDI benefits application. Or, they may request that your current doctor perform a functional capacity report instead. What you do not want to do, though, is repeatedly reschedule or entirely miss your consultative examination appointment.
If you do, the SSA may rule that you have failed to cooperate, that they do not have sufficient evidence to approve you for SSDI benefits, and ultimately deny your claim. And if you truly have an issue with making this appointment, such as being ill, not having an accessible means of transportation, etc., you must have your attorney help you notify DDS before it is too late.
That said, if you wish to explore your legal options moving forward, please allow a competent New Jersey SSDI attorney from The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur to be your guiding force. Please schedule your initial consultation with our firm at the first chance you get.
