During the application process for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA), you may receive a letter requesting you to attend a “consultative examination.” These exams, conducted at the SSA’s request, provide the agency with additional medical information that it can use to assess your eligibility for disability benefits. As such, you must attend an exam to avoid a denial of your disability benefits claim. You can also prepare for the exam to help improve the chances of success in your application.
Understanding Consultative Exams
So, what is a consultative examination? It is when an independent medical practitioner contracted by the SSA examines a disability benefits applicant’s medical condition. The SSA covers the cost of the exam.
A consultative exam may involve the examiner reviewing the applicant’s current medical records. Examiners may interview applicants to ask questions about their claimed disability and how it affects their work and daily life, conduct diagnostic tests, or perform a physical or psychiatric examination of the applicant. The scope of the exam typically depends on the nature of the applicant’s claimed disability.
Following the examination, the examiner will write an independent assessment of the applicant’s physical condition or mental health, identifying specific limitations caused by the applicant’s condition and how they affect the applicant’s ability to work.
Why the Consultative Examination is Important to Your Case
The SSA does not require consultative examinations for every disability benefits claim. The agency may order an exam when an applicant has insufficient medical documentation of their claimed disability, or when the medical record contains conflicting data about the existence, nature, or severity of the applicant’s disability.
Consultative exams can bolster the medical record for a benefits application or resolve conflicts in the medical evidence. As a result, a consultative examination can provide medical evidence that sways the SSA’s decision on a disability benefits claim.
How to Prepare for a Consultative Exam
An applicant scheduled for a consultative exam can prepare by following key best practices, including the following:
- Bring Medical Documentation – Medical records can help the examiner understand the nature and severity of the applicant’s condition.
- Remain Honest – Applicants should refrain from minimizing the severity of their symptoms. Applicants should also avoid exaggerating or fabricating symptoms, as this can undermine their credibility with the examiner.
- Give Thorough Answers – When an examiner asks questions about how an applicant’s condition affects their daily activities or work, the applicant should provide detailed answers, including specific examples of past incidents in which their condition affected them.
- Reschedule if Necessary – Should an applicant become unable to attend a scheduled exam, they should contact the SSA promptly to reschedule. An applicant who misses a scheduled exam without a good reason could jeopardize their disability benefits application.
Contact Our Social Security Disability Attorneys to Learn More
Has the SSA may ask you to attend a consultative exam as part of your application process? This exam can affect the outcome of your benefits claim, so you should prepare for the exam and what comes after. An experienced lawyer can help you get ready for your exam and address the consequences of the exam’s results.
Contact Ryan Bisher Ryan Simons today for a free consultation with a Social Security disability attorney. We can walk you through what to expect during a consultative examination in an SSA disability claim.
