By Scott B. Elkind, Esq.

Make Sure to Get Regular Treatment and Comply with Your Doctors’ Orders. The absolute best way to assist in your case is getting regular care. Not only do you have to prove you have become disabled, you must also prove that the disability is continuing. This necessitates continuing treatment to prove. Should you not follow your doctors’ orders, Social Security and private insurers will not hesitate to use such information against you.

Inform us of changes in your address or phone number immediately. If you have housing problems, please provide a contact person so that we may always be able to speak to you about any issues which arise.

If you receive mail from Social Security or a judge and need assistance, please call right away. This is why you hired us. We are here to help.

If you receive forms from Social Security, please complete as best as you can and mail them to us. We will check and copy them before mailing and retain a copy should SSA lose the mailing. If you cannot complete the form on your own, please sign the form, mail it to us and we will assist you over the phone. Do not send forms to SSA without sending a copy to our firm in advance to review.

If you get a call from Social Security or a disability insurer, have them call us first before you speak to them. It is common for your statements to be mischaracterized and used against you. Therefore, certain conversations will need to be monitored by us.

If you are able to get copies of your medical records, please do so as soon as possible. You can save money on your expenses by asking for copies for yourself. Do not tell the physician office that the records are for your lawyers as these offices tend to charge lawyers more for records than they do their patients. Do not send copies of bills or films.

Tell your doctor you are applying for disability and ask him/her to document your problems in the medical record. Too often, physician records are lacking in aspects which can prove a disability case such as inability to perform many activities of daily living or specific functional deficits. Insist that such information be put in your medical records.

Do not engage in social networking activities (blogs, facebook, twitter, myspace, etc.) that are not secured and remain open to the general public. Such activities need to by kept private as private insurers routinely monitor such sites in order to find evidence to show you are engaging in activities such as social activities, vacations, and the like, and, therefore, are not disabled.

Refrain from Drug or Alcohol Abuse. Such inappropriate use of these substances will be used as evidence against and, no matter what, will reflect poorly on your credibility.

Immediately Update Us Concerning the Following:

• You see a new doctor or require hospital treatment
• There is any major change in your condition
• A doctor tells you that you suffer from a new or different illness
• You receive a check from the Social Security Administration or a private
• Your receive a letter you do not understand
• You plan any return to work