Q: My doctor says I am disabled, so why is Social Security denying my Social Security disability claim?
A: Social Security’s position is that it is not up to your doctor to determine whether or not you are disabled. In the Social Security situation, this is a legal determination, not a purely medical one. This means that a simple statement from a doctor saying a person is disabled is not enough. Social Security wants to see the diagnosis, the supporting symptoms, signs and laboratory tests, and then it will make a decision about whether the condition fits into its own legal framework for disability.
Framing the case so that it fits into the language and technical requirements of Social Security is the most valuable skill we offer clients.