Honesty Is the Best Policy When Filling Out SSD Paperwork
Being injured or ill to the point where you cannot work can put an awfully financial strain on our family. This causes added stress that can inhibit your body's ability to heal. If the problem is permanent, the stress will have you feeling worse than ever. This is why everyone pays into social security disability as a tax out of their paychecks. However, filling out all the paperwork to start receiving these benefits is not always simple or easy.
The most important thing you can do to help the process along is to be honest. This does not only mean to stick to the facts and not exaggerate things but to make sure you are not understating anything either. Here are a few things to keep in mind when filling out the forms.
Symptoms
When listing the symptoms of your condition be sure to list them all. This includes any side effects of your medications, how often and what triggers flare ups, emotional distress, fatigue, depression, and if you have trouble concentrating. Try to explain the extent of each symptom, perhaps putting them on a scale of 1 to 10 the way doctors ask you about pain.
Limitations
Limitations are not just about your strength. If you cannot stay in one position for an extended amount of time explain it is detail. Tell how long you can sit or stand before it becomes uncomfortable. If reading on a computer makes you feel sick, dizzy or causes eyestrain be sure to mention that as well. Something that many people neglect to list is an inability to be around or deal with people. This may cause anxiety that is almost unbearable at times and needs to be addressed in the paperwork.
Work Requirements
Whether your work was a specialized skill or trade or not, you need to detail what exactly the job required. Talk about the physical requirements you can no longer perform, including things that do not require strength but are repetitious such as typing, walking, or bending and stretching. You may not think about it, but having to bend to put things in and take things out of a file cabinet all day may cause you more pain. If there is a lot of noise in the workplace that causes headaches or distracts from your ability to concentrate be sure to mention this as well.
If you are ever in doubt about what you should or should not list on the SSD paperwork, contact a lawyer who has experience with it. The sooner your paperwork is done and accepted the sooner you will start receiving the money you need to ease the financial stress. Learn more via resources like http://www.johnehornattorney.com.
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