For New Jersey residents who are injured or ill and are applying for Social Security disability benefits, one of the most important factors in an approval or a denial of the claim is the medical evidence presented to prove the medical condition is present. However, there is a difference between medical evidence and medical opinions. Medical evidence comes from laboratory tests and findings, medical indicators or both. Qualified medical professionals and testers can assess the medical evidence. Medical opinion is an assessment on the part of the medical professional that could vary from one medical professional to the other.
It is important to understand how adult claims are affected by medical opinions and what is encompassed in them. The date when the filing of the application was done is important when the Social Security Administration considers a medical opinion. For those who filed on or after March 27, 2017, the SSA will view the opinion in a different context that it does for cases that were filed prior to that date.
For those who applied after March 27, 2017, the medical opinion will center around the person’s ability to do the physical requirements of work and the person’s ability to perform the mental aspects of work. Other factors like using the senses and adapting to different environmental conditions are also part of the medical opinion.
If the case was filed before March 27, 2017, the medical opinion must be provided by an accepted medical source (AMS) and have judgments regarding how severe the impairments are, how it hinders the person in terms of its symptoms, the diagnosis and the prognosis, and what the person is still able to do. Medical opinion is key in Social Security disability cases and is part of the medical requirements to get benefits. For people who are seeking SSD benefits, the evidence is the fundamental factor in the case and should not be ignored. That includes medical opinions. To learn more about medical evidence and medical opinions in SSD claims, it may help to seek guidance from a professional.
