Social Security Disability applicants in the Daytona Beach area, and throughout Florida, must treat with a doctor to improve the chances of prevailing in a Social Security hearing.  Failure to treat is without question one of the top reasons that a person loses their Social Security case.  Medical evidence is absolutely essential.  The Judge in a Social Security hearing will rely on medical evidence in a file to support their ruling for or against an applicant.  It usually will not matter how credible an applicant is, if there is not medical documentation which support an applicants complaints, the Judge will likely find that individual is not disabled.

In my Ormond Beach, FL Social Security practice, I hear daily from individuals applying for Social Security Disability who do not treat with a doctor on a regular basis.  The common reasons are lack of insurance or a lack of money to see a doctor.  The bottom line is that the Social Security Administration will not care!  If there are not medical treatment records in an applicants file, or if the last treatment was several years ago, the chances of success before a Social Security Judge are slim.  Why? In order to get to a Social Security hearing, an applicant will have already been denied twice.  Furthermore, the Social
Security Administration will have likely set up at least one, usually two, comprehensive medical exams in order to "assist" in the determination of disability.  The comprehensive exams (CE's) are paid by the Social Security Administration and rarely provide a medical opinion that someone is disabled and unable to engage in substantial gainful activity.  Therefore, by the time a hearing is set, two denials will have been handed down based on the record evidence and the opinions of the Social Security doctors.

This is why it is so important to have a treating medical doctor when applying for disability.  These doctors are more familiar with an applicant's medical condition and would be in a better position to determine physical and mental limitations than the comprehensive examiners who only see an applicant once.  In addition, Judges are usually required to give more consideration to a treating doctor's opinion if the opinion is supported by the records.

Therefore, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having good medical evidence from a treating physician when applying for Social Security Disability.  If you have questions regarding a claim for Social Security Disability, please contact Johnson & Gilbert, P.A. for a free consultation at 1-800-556-8890