Denied Social Security Even Though Doctor Says I'm Disabled?

Many Disability claimants are left confused and angry when Social Security denies their claim. In many cases, people have been told by their doctors to not work or have a disability rating from the VA--maybe even a 100% rating.

Sometimes when a doctor tells a patient not to go back to work it means that the doctor thinks the patient should not go back to her previous job, and doesn't mean that the patient is incapable of doing any work. I think this difference comes down to confusion between legal and medical determinations. It doesn't hurt if a doctor says "my patient is totally disabled," but it does not help as much as you might think. "Disabled" is a legal determination, not a medical one. That means the judge is the one to decide you are disabled, not the doctor.

Doctors Medical Determination

However, your doctors' medical determinations are the most important aspect of getting approved for Disability (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Examples of medical determinations read more like "my patient is capable of frequently lifting 10 lbs and occasionally 20 lbs" and "my patient would experience aggravation of her anxiety by working in an environment that requires social interaction."

This is one of the reasons why it is so important to hire an attorney familiar with Social Security guidelines. Your doctors might be trying to help, but in order to succeed they must be asked the right questions.