3 Medical Factors That Can Help You Get Disability in Florida

When you are seeking disability benefits in Florida, you will have to be evaluated by a physician in order to receive the medical verification you will need prior to being awarded Social Security Disability (SSD). Most people know this, as they have been seeing a physician for their own medical conditions for quite some time. For this post, we’re going to look at disability benefits from the perspective of a physician. We’ll briefly cover what physicians must consider before they make a professional recommendation. 

It’s important to note that the Social Security Administration (SSA) does not necessarily endorse these recommendations.  The law states that the final determination of disability is reserved for the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration.   However, these points of consideration are credible. If you would like to learn more about where this information is sourced and about what physicians must take into consideration before initiating a medical inquiry, you should follow this link to MD Guidelines. It is a site devoted to the considerations physicians must make when evaluating an individual’s capacity to work.

As has been previously noted,your medical condition, your ability to either continue working at your current job and/or your ability to do some other type of work will all be considered when you apply for disability benefits.  If you feel you’re disabled to the point that you can no longer work, contact a compassionate, experienced SSDI advocate in Florida. We here at Disability Experts of Florida know what to expect from SSA, doctors, and vocational experts. With the SSA under more pressure to cut back, you need someone on your side when fighting for your disability benefits in Florida.

Three Factors for Evaluating Disability Benefits in Florida: the Doctor’s Point of View

According to the forward from the Medical Disability Advisor, the following three factors will weigh heavily on your doctor’s mind when evaluating your condition and your capacity to return to work.

1. Risk – “Risk is a basis for physician-imposed activity restrictions. Most return-to-work forms sent to physicians have a line on which the physician can state “restrictions” that may pose a risk to the individual or to others (e.g. co-workers, the general motoring public, etc.). Risk, in this regard, means the person should not do something, even though he/she may actually be capable of doing the activity. For example, individuals with uncontrolled seizure disorders are not permitted to work as commercial airline pilots or bus drivers based on risk.” This is the first general point of consideration your doctor will look at when evaluating your eligibility to receive disability benefits in Florida. Remember, the SSA believes that doctors should look at a claimant/patient’s ability to return to work. Therefore, doctors will determine what risk you pose to yourself and others while working. Based on this first tenet, he or she will then issue an opinion which could affect the determination of your claim for benefits.
2. Capacity – “Capacity is the basis for physician-described activity limitations, and means the individual is not yet physically capable of an activity. Many of the return to work forms sent to physicians have a line on which the physician can state “limitations” based on capacity evaluation. For example, after a wound into the biceps muscle mass of the arm, an individual may not yet have the strength to permit lifting a certain amount of weight; or after a fracture of the shoulder, an individual may not yet have enough shoulder motion for his/her hand to reach the overhead control on a factory press. In the disability duration tables the “Optimum” column indicates when the average person with the average speed of recovery and few comorbidities will return to work.” So as you can see, when you are seeking Florida disability benefits, a doctor will first determine, in her or her opinion,  your capacity to work in terms of your limitations.
3. Tolerance – “Tolerance is the issue with which doctors, employers, employees, and insurers struggle. Tolerance is the ability to put up with the symptoms (like pain or fatigue) that accompany doing work tasks in order to gain the rewards of work (income, self-esteem, health benefits of work, etc.). Tolerance means the ability to tolerate the symptoms produced by doing an activity the individual clearly can do. Tolerance is not a scientific concept, and tolerance is not scientifically measurable. Early after major injury or surgery physicians have fair agreement on work guidelines based in tolerance issues, but for chronic problems studies have shown physicians cannot agree on work guidelines based in tolerance issues. People (patients) consider factors like income and finances, job satisfaction, need for employer provided health insurance benefits, availability of disability or workers’ compensation insurance to maintain income, ability to switch to physically easier careers, etc. when deciding whether the rewards of working are to them worth the “cost” of working.” 

Need Disability Benefits in Florida? Call DEF Today

This is why it is vital that you seek the counsel of a knowledgeable, experienced SSDI advocate who will help you fight for your disability benefits in Florida. We can’t overstate how important it is that you to work side by side with someone who understands the system and has the experience and empathy needed to help those who are suffering and cannot return to work. At DEF, it is our mission to help those in need.