Filing Mental Health Social Security Claims

It is possible to file a claim for Social Security benefits if you are impaired by a mental health disability that has such an impact on your capacity to function that you cannot work. Because people who have difficult mental health conditions can often still function well enough to successfully be employed, Social Security benefits for disability or SSI are not immediately awarded to you just on the basis of a diagnosis. For instance, if you suffer from severe, debilitating anxiety or from a condition such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, having the diagnosis is not enough to be eligible for Social Security benefits. You must be able to provide evidence to prove that your disability is so severe that you cannot function properly in a work environment because of it.

Filing a successful claim for Social Security benefits is a complicated process, as it is—everything must be filed correctly and with exact precision or your claim will be denied. Add to this the need to provide evidence that proves your mental health condition is disabling, and it quickly becomes apparent that you will probably need help filing your claim properly. Disability attorneys who specialize in Social Security disability claims can help you build a strong case, file your claim for Social Security benefits, or make appeals for claims that have been denied.

In the process of building and framing your case, it will be important to work directly with your treating medical professionals, your doctor and others, who can provide an expert, formal medical opinion regarding your functional limitations. A disability attorney will work with your doctor to provide a medical source statement that will lend weight to your case when it is reviewed by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The medical source statement is basically a form that your treating physician completes which fully discloses his or her opinion of specific ways in which your disability impairs your capacity to work productively.  The SSA is obligated to rely heavily upon the medical source statement as opposed to their own evaluations of your mental health record when the decision is made to accept or reject your Social Security benefits.

In most cases, it is a good idea to hire an attorney to help you through the process of building a case for Social Security benefits when you are disabled due to mental health conditions. Claims are often denied over technical issues, small details, or not enough evidence. If your claim has already been denied, a lawyer who specializes in Social Security benefits can help you build a better case and appeal the denial.