A medical source statement can be an effective tool

What happens when a disability claimant's medical records fail to establish that they no longer have the ability to derive a substantial, gainful income from the performance of work activity? Their claim may be denied or they may be sent to a consultative medical exam, performed by an independent physician, for the purpose of gathering additional documentation. Such exams, though, rarely result in the approval of a claim. And, in fact, in most cases consultative medical exams are scheduled simply to satisfy a "recency of evidence" requirement, thus allowing a case to be closed.

In actuality, one of the most effective tools for winning a social security disability or SSI claim is the submission of a medical source statement from a claimant's treatment physician.

What is a medical source statement? It may take the form of a residual functional capacity assessment such as the RFC form used by the social security administration (a multi-page checkoff form that allows a physician to address a claimant's functionality and limitations). Or it may be presented as a letter from a treating physician. In either case, however, it is vital that the form is sufficiently detailed to the extent that a claims adjudicator can determine what the claimant's limitations are in the opinion of the treating physician.









For information on Social Security Disability, visit the

Social Security Disability SSI Resource Center




















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