Indianapolis Social Security Disability Lawyer Discusses Credibility

The Social Security Administration requires that a claimant supply medical information to support the claim for Social Security Disability Payments and Supplemental Security Payments.  This means that if you have a disabling condition, but you have not sought medical treatment, or the medical testing does not demonstrate a medical condition which would likely be causing the disabling condition, your chances of obtaining Disability benefits are markedly reduced.  This poses a very difficult problem for those who are uninsured and have little or no funds to pay for medical treatment. Fortunately Medicaid is available to help obtain medical care.  In Marion County Wishard Hospital offers care for the poor.  Unfortunately the Medicaid program is overburdened as is the Wishard facility.  This causes delay in obtaining medical care, and thus cause delay in obtaining medical evidence which will support a disability claim.

If you are fortunate enough to have insurance and have medical documentation of a disabling condition, the medical records alone may not be enough to prove your claim.  In the case of chronic pain, or a brain injury, or chronic fatigue, often times the effect of the condition on the body is more severe than conventional testing can detect.  In the case of pain, there is generally no objective test to support the claim.  Thus the Administrative Law Judge will be forced to make a decision about whether he/she finds the claimant’s complaints “Credible”.  The first step in this process is to determine whether the claimant has proof of a medically determinable impairment.  The next step is to determine what symptoms, including pain, the impairment(s) is likely to produce.  The third step is to determine what limitations the impairment(s) is likely to produce in terms of ability to lift, walk, sit, and stand.   The next step is to obtain information from the claimant, in the form of testimony y, doctors records and test results.  The ALJ compares the medical report information with the claimant’s testimony to see if they are consistent.  If they are consistent, your credibility goes up.  If they are inconsistent your credibility goes down.  Being given less than full credibility can result in you being denied your benefits. The lesson here is to be fully honest with your doctors and the Administration.  In that case, your credibility will  likely go up and improve your chances of obtaining your disability benefits.