Even with the representation of an experienced Augusta disability lawyer, some clients become worried when the Social Security Administration requests a consultative examination. However, consultative examinations do not mean your case is more likely to be rejected. A consultative examination is simply an examination the Social Security Administration disability examiner arranges when he decides he has not been given enough medical information to make a decision. If your case happens to be at the hearing level, an administrative law judge may make the decision that further medical evidence is needed and then arrange to have you examined through the Social Security Administration.
When Are Consultative Examinations Necessary?
Consultative examinations typically occur when your treating physicians and your hospitals are for some reason unable to provide the necessary medical evidence to prove your impairment. The information that the Social Security Administration already has comes from the questionnaires your doctor was asked to fill out when you initially applied for benefits, as well as any other records the hospital might have made over the course of treating you. However, there are a number of reasons why this information could have been unavailable when the Social Security Administration tried to retrieve it. These include:
- You haven’t seen a doctor about your impairment.
- You haven’t told your doctor about all the symptoms of your impairment.
- For whatever reason, your doctors or hospitals refuse to disclose your medical information.
- The available medical records from your doctor are too old or have been damaged and are now illegible.
- Your doctors submit conflicting information, or the hospitals provide records that are obviously incorrect or not internally consistent.
- Your doctor is not an expert in an area in which the Social Security Administration needs an expert opinion.
Doctors Don’t Have Long-Term Relationships With You
Consultative examinations are usually conducted by independent doctors who are contracted by the Social Security Administration to perform evaluations. However, they do not have the relationship with you that your treating physician does, and their evaluations may be flawed as a result.
Contact Augusta Disability Lawyer
With an Augusta disability lawyer on your side, we can help you take steps to prevent the need for a consultative examination before they happen, and to make sure that the examiner gets the whole picture if one is necessary. Call us for an initial consultation.