Social Security Disability Rule #2: Always Be Courteous, Cooperative And Compliant With Your Treatment Providers

This information is part two of a three-part series titled Social Security Disability Rules. For parts one and three, click the links below:

SSD Rule #1: Always Present Yourself in an Honest and Accurate Manner
SSD Rule #3: Answer Questions from Social Security

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When you are unable to work due to your health, and your condition does not improve when you seek medical treatment, it is understandable why such an occurrence would lead to frustration. 

It is important to understand that your treatment providers are doing the very best they can to try to help you improve the quality of your life. While some conditions can be easily diagnosed and treated by your providers, other conditions can take a long time to diagnose and treat.  

It is important to be as patient and courteous as possible with your providers for multiple reasons. 

The simplest reason is that having a good relationship with the provider is likely to lead to you obtaining the best possible results from your treatment. It is also noteworthy that having a good relationship with your treatment provider can also help you in the Social Security Disability claim.

Although I have never worked in a medical office, I have read hundreds of thousands of pages of my client’s medical records. There are times in the review of my records where it appears clear to me that the treatment provider has a positive or negative opinion of their patient.  

When the treatment provider appears to have a positive opinion of the patient, the medical records are often written in such a way as to make the patient appear as sympathetic as possible.  

On the other hand, when the opinion of the patient is negative, the medical records are written as defensively as possible meaning that the records not only cast the patient in the negative light, but they also go out of their way to point out how the patient has been non-compliant in their treatment.  

Non-compliance with prescribed treatment can severely impact your chances of winning your Social Security disability claim in addition to potentially preventing you from improving medically. 

Always be courteous, cooperative and compliant with your treatment providers. 

For more information on how to apply for Social Security disability, appeal a denial, or interact with your providers in Wisconsin, please contact Tim Geary at Geary Disability Law.

Disclaimer: Blog entries are not intended to be a substitute for actual legal advice. It is important for a representative to understand the specific facts and circumstances of your case before they can provide you actual legal advice.  If you have questions about your Social Security Disability, please contact a qualified representative to discuss your case.