Mental Disability

How your mental disability can help win your case

What mental conditions qualify for disability?

Any mental impairment can win you disability as long as it causes limitations that prevent you from doing your past work, or any other type of work. Many people mistakenly assume their mental impairment is not severe enough to win. What they may not realize is that Social Security considers the total effect of ALL their conditions. Therefore, leave nothing off your disability claim.

Tips for going to a mental exam

What is a Social Security mental consultative examination? In most cases, this will be a psychological exam performed by a psychologist who is not employed by the social security administration, but who has agreed to conduct testing on a contract basis for SSA. These exams do not determine the outcome of disability cases by themselves. However, they do provide additional medical record documentation that can, in instances, have a considerable effect on the outcome of cases.

Proving you have a mental disability

All disability claims depend on medical evidence. For mental impairment claims, it is important to show you have received mental treatment, which often includes medication and testing. Social Security may send you to an exam, or an appointment for testing to get additional evidence. And your representative may need to to submit your school records in addition to medical records and statements from your doctors.

Psychological exams for disability

Will a mental exam by a psychologist help you win? Most consultative exams scheduled by Social Security are just to get recent medical so the case can be closed. But psychological exams are different because they can provide key evidence that’s missing from a case. For this reason, never miss this appointment if one is set for you.

Psychiatrist exams for disability

If you file for disability and are sent to a psychiatrist exam, this is because Social Security believes 1) your mental condition may be severe enough to award you benefits and 2) you may not have enough recent medical records. So, an exam conducted by a psychiatrist can be important to winning your claim.

Disability Decisions after Mental Exams

If you are scheduled by a disability examiner to go to a mental exam, whether it is psychiatric or psychological, it may take 2 to 3 weeks after the exam to receive a determination decision from Social Security. This is because 1) the doctors who perform these exams are not employed by the Social Security Administration but are in private practice and 2) the disability examiner may have more things to review on your claim.

North Carolina Residents go here: Disability Help in NC

Helpful Pages:

Social Security Disability SSI Questions and Answers
What do you Need to Prove to Qualify for Disability Benefits?
The Social Security Disability and SSI Process for Mental Claims
Can you speed up the Social Security Disability process?
What kind of cases win disability benefits?
How do you Win Benefits under Social Security Disability or SSI?
How long does it take to receive disability benefits after you are approved?
What is DDS, or Disability Determination Services?
Can a Lawyer Speed Up My Disability Case?
The Administrative Law Judge At A Disability Hearing
How long will my disability benefits last after I am approved?
Who gets SSI?
What does Social Security mean by disability?
What questions will I be asked on a phone interview with Social Security?
Can I Talk To the Disability Examiner Working On My Case?
SSD, SSI, AND MEDIUM, LIGHT, AND SEDENTARY WORK
What happens when you go to a Social Security Disability hearing?
Ulcerative Colitis and Filing for Disability
What are the requirements for disability with arthritis?