Among the most difficult conditions to prove when it comes to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applications is the ongoing impact and severity of chronic pain.
Often, those suffering from chronic pain have few, if any, exterior symptoms. Still, the internal, day-to-day management of pain is so significant that it affects their ability to lead a normal life.
How the SSA Evaluates Pain
If the Social Security Administration (SSA) has found that you have a “medically determinable impairment,” you will have to prove your pain, and the connection to the impairment. Essentially, your condition will have to match a certain level of medical credibility and severity with the pain you’re experiencing.
You’ll have to detail how and why chronic pain affects your daily life alongside in-depth medical documentation to show any potential root causes of the pain, plus all attempts you’ve made to remedy it. Members of your medical care team may write formal letters to aid in your case. Statements from family members about the severity of your pain and the reality of daily pain management could help establish the case, too.
Be Specific and Detailed About Your Symptoms
If you have a condition where significant pain comes and goes (like arthritis), you must detail when that pain happens and what the effects are. This includes how it’s affected work & personal life plus any burdens the uncertainties of pain create.
Sometimes, even with all of the above, initial claims can get denied, and you’ll have to begin the arduous appeal process. When things get to that point, it might be time to enlist a qualified Social Security claims attorney to help round out your application and documents with further strategies you may not have considered previously.
The team at Drew L. Johnson, P.C. has plenty of experience helping Eugene and Albany residents suffering from severe chronic pain work through this process, and we’re ready to help you do the same. Call us today at (541) 434-6466 to learn more and schedule a free consultation.
