What Evidence is Used to Evaluate and Decide a Disability Benefit Claim?

All Arkansas disability claims are evaluated by the Social Security Administration (SSA) based on evidence you provide to substantiate your claim. The SSA considers medical evidence the cornerstone for the determination of disability. Your disability claim filed in Arkansas must be backed up by evidence that proves the existence, severity, and permanence of your impairments.

Sources of expert evidence about the disability

Your Arkansas disability claim must be documented by a person considered by the SSA to be a medical expert qualified to diagnose and treat disorders of the kind you have. SSA-defined acceptable sources include these licensed professionals:

SSA regulations place special emphasis on evidence from the medical professionals—called treating sources—who have treated you over a longer period. Full reports from treating sources are given a lot of weight and may reduce or eliminate the need for additional medical evidence to complete your claim. However, the SSA also requests and considers copies of medical evidence from hospitals, clinics, or other health facilities where you have been treated. Information from other sources may also help show the extent to which your impairment(s) affect your ability to function in a work setting. Information from public and private agencies, caregivers, social workers, employers, naturopaths, chiropractors, and audiologists may be considered—but generally takes a back seat to the traditional medical reports.

Types of medical evidence

The SSA asks health professionals to submit reports relevant to disability claims in Arkansas. These reports are expected to include:

• Your medical history
• Results of physical or mental status examinations
• Laboratory findings such as blood pressure and X-rays
• Diagnosis
• Treatment prescribed, including response and prognosis
• A statement about what you can still do despite your impairment(s)—including your ability to perform work-related activities, such as sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, handling objects, hearing, speaking, and traveling
• In adult cases involving mental impairments or mental functional limitations, description of your capacity to understand, to carry out and remember instructions, and to respond appropriately to supervision, coworkers, and pressures in a workplace

Evidence of pain

Decisions about Arkansas disability claims are also influenced by evidence of the effects of symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, or fatigue on your ability to function. The SSA investigates evidence regarding:

• Your daily activities
• The location, duration, frequency, and intensity of the pain
• Precipitating and aggravating factors
• The type, dosage, effectiveness, and side effects of medication
• Other treatments for the relief of pain
• Any measures you have used to relieve pain
• Other factors concerning your functional limitations due to pain

Help with your disability claim in Arkansas

Martin & Kieklak helps clients with Social Security Disability claims in Arkansas to assemble the evidence they need to prove their cases. Let us fight for you. Call Martin & Kieklak today to discuss your Arkansas disability claim.