As a Chicago SSD lawyer can explain, there are several requirements that a physician must meet before his or her medical opinion will be given serious consideration by the Social Security Administration.
An Acceptable Medical Source
The first thing the SSA will consider is whether your doctor qualifies as an acceptable medical source. Not all medical personnel qualify for this designation. In order to be considered an acceptable medical source, your treating physician must be an osteopathic or medical doctor, psychologist, qualified speech-language pathologist, optometrist or podiatrist.
Other medical professionals fall into a category known as other sources. These professionals’ opinions are not given the same weight as acceptable sources by the SSA. Their opinions may be given some consideration, but will never be granted the controlling weight that an acceptable medical source is given. Some examples of professionals that fall outside of the acceptable medical source category are therapists, audiologists, nurse practitioners and chiropractors.
A Treating Source
According to a Chicago SSD lawyer, in addition to being an acceptable medical source, your doctor has to be a treating source. In other words, your doctor must be treating you on an ongoing basis in order for his or her opinion to be given controlling weight by the SSA. For example, if you visited your doctor to get a diagnosis and you have not gone back for further treatment, your doctor would not be considered a treating source by the SSA. You should be visiting your doctor for regular appointments as a part of the treatment for your injury or illness.
A Well-supported Opinion
The SSA will also evaluate your doctor’s opinion to make sure that he or she used acceptable laboratory and clinical techniques to diagnose your medical condition. According to the SSA, if a doctor used medically acceptable diagnostic techniques to develop a well-supported medical opinion and the opinion is consistent with other significant evidence in your case record, then it has to be given controlling weight.
Legal Help from a Chicago SSD Lawyer
If you would like to schedule a confidential appointment with a Chicago SSD Lawyer who can help with your claim, please call Chicago Disability Lawyer .
