Applying For Social Security Disability Benefits: Three Types Of Evidences And Proof To Support Cases Regarding Depression
Posted on: 9 June 2017
It's unfortunate, but approximately 6.7% of the American population over the age of 18 struggles with a major depressive disorder. Those struggling with a major depressive disorder may have difficulties carrying on normal daily tasks and may require additional support and help from the state. If this applies to you, you might qualify for Social Security disability benefits. As the application process can be long and tedious, it's usually best to speak with a lawyer. Your lawyer will usually ask for the following 3 types of evidences to help support your case.
Medical Documents and Proofs that Support Claims of Depression
It can be difficult to prove that you struggle with depression, as mental disorders can be difficult to see physically. To strengthen your case and application, your attorney will recommend that you collect and be able to provide at least 2 years worth of medical documents and proof that detail your journey with depression. These documents can be from your family physician, a psychologist, a psychiatric nurse, or any other medical professional.
It would be best if the medical documents and proof provided can include information on your reported symptoms, your diagnosis, any psychiatric testing that you have undergone to receive the diagnosis you've been given, the frequency and duration of the therapies you've been recommended, and any behavioral or mental abnormalities that the medical professionals may have noticed while treating you. You want to provide as many documents as possible to establish the severity of the depression.
Evidence that Treatments Have Been Tried and Found to Be Ineffective
Some cases have been rejected if the applicant had not tried any of the therapies or medications that were prescribed in order to treat their symptoms. To strengthen your application, your attorney will want to prove that you have done everything in your power to treat the symptoms and have been diligent in trying the treatments recommended by medical professionals. Provide evidence that you have tried several forms of treatment and that the treatments have either been ineffective or had little success in improving your condition.
Receipts of the medications that you have purchased and of the therapies you have attended can show your progress in trying to deal with your depression. If possible, try to include a personal diary backed with testimonies from others around you that describe how you felt and acted after taking the prescribed medications or trying the recommended treatments. You want to document whether the medications helped you better deal with new environments and situations.
Testimony from Coworkers and Employers Detailing How Debilitating the Depression Has Become
To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you must prove that your depression is so severe that it prevents you from carrying out daily tasks and activities. You must be able to prove that you require support from the state. Testimony from those who are close to you, like coworkers, friends, and employers, can also come in handy. The testimony should prove that your symptoms are too mentally taxing for you and that neither a change in career path nor environment will help your situation.
If your condition has worsened to the point where others have sought help for you, documents like police reports can also come in handy and can describe specific events in much more detail.
Conclusion
The application for being accepted into the Social Security disability benefit program can be long, taxing, and tedious. It can be too much for someone who is struggling with a mental disorder to handle. If you are in this position, it might be best to contact a Social Security disability lawyer to see whether you have a case or not.
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