A Chicago Social Security disability lawyer will often ask their clients to keep a journal to document their symptoms and their pain. If you file a disability claim with the Social Security Administration, you will be expected to tell a judge about your condition during a hearing. However, you may be required to wait several months before you are given the opportunity to make your case before a judge.
A Journal as a Memory Aid
The judge presiding over your Social Security hearing will make their decision based on how the symptoms you experience impact the quality of your life. They will be better able to do this when they know how severe your symptoms are and how often they occur. Even those with sharp memories may sometimes forget important facts when they are under stress, and keeping a journal will allow you to have important information on hand should your recollections falter during your hearing.
A Journal Can Assist Your Doctors and Lawyers
In addition to helping you to prepare for your Social Security hearing, a medical journal can help your doctors better understand your condition. Having this additional information could allow your doctor to design a more effective treatment plan, and they will also be able to give the judge a fuller picture of your situation during your hearing. This kind of journal can also provide valuable assistance to your Chicago Social Security disability lawyer as they prepare your case.
What to Include in a Medical Journal
Journal entries about pain should include details about how intense the pain was, when it was experienced and long it lasted for. Your journal should also include details about your sleep patterns and the level of fatigue that you feel throughout the day. You may wish to take notes about the medications that you take and how effective they are. Judges often like clear and simple answers to their questions, so you should make observations about the level of pain or discomfort you feel based on a scale from one to 10.
How a Chicago Social Security Disability Lawyer Could Help
The thought of appearing before a judge and answering questions can be daunting, but being prepared will help you to face your hearing with confidence. Having a good understanding of what will happen could also help to ease your nerves, and a Chicago Social Security disability lawyer may be able to tell you about the questions that you will likely face. Call Chicago Disability Lawyer.
