Function Report - Adult - Form Ssa-3373-Bk - Social Security: Fill & Download for Free

You can never gaurentee that you will get approved, although they are steps you can take to help your case. Social Security does not make disability determinations, an agency called Disability Determination Services (DDS) does. After you apply and SSA turns your application and whatever medical documentation you have to DDS, you should get a letter with the name and contact number for your DDS medical examiner.I recommend making an appointment to apply for SSI, and if you have any work history in the past, you should also apply for SSDI as well just in case you qualify. When you apply at SSA, be prepared to bring as much relevant medical information as you can to submit along with the application. These applications can be done online, but I think in many cases, especially if you have a lot of documentation to submit, it’s worth it to go in person. And you must make sure you get a receipt that you applied and all of your paperwork back. Social Security can make themselves a copy of what they need.There are also some forms you can fill out as well that you will most likely receive from DDS down the road, but it you already complete them and include them with your medical paperwork, it will speed up the time spent evaluating your case. You can get these forms online, fill them out, and take them to SSA when you do the application. To find these forms, I simply google SSA online forms, and it takes me to the page I need.These forms include : Disability Report- Adult Form SSA-3368-BK; Work History Report SSA-3369; Function Report SSA-3373; Function Report-Adult- Third Party SSA-3380; and Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration- SSA-827.There are other forms, but these are the ones that apply to pretty much everyone, so if you can get these filled out before you go to apply, you will save some time on the process. The Function Third Party form should be filled out by a family member, partner/spouse, or someone who knows you well enough to answer these questions.Please get as much medical documentation as you can if possible to take with you to SSA when you apply. DDS is looking for medical proof you can’t do susbstantial employment, so if you can have your doctor write a letter stating that and why, and that will be helpful as well. If you see any mental health professionals, asking that they list your conditions, GAF score, etc is helpful, and their professional opinion on whether or not you can do meaningful or substantial work. Whatever you can obtain from your medical and/or mental health providers will be very helpful, and easier for a disability examiner to review rather than just years of case notes and other thing in your medical chart that might be a little more tedious to go through or not relevant. Of course, DDS still wants this information as well. If there is a fee to get your medical records and you can’t afford it, SSA will pay for medical records as long as they aren’t unreasonable and they will request the records themselves.Once you find out who your disability examiner is, don’t hesitate to call them to find out if there is anything else they need or if they are having trouble with getting responses and medical records from one of your doctors. If a doctor ignores their requests, they may ultimately make a decision without that doctor’s input and that could be bad for you. If that happens, contact the doctor’s office to find out what’s going on and make sure the information requested is sent. Follow up until you’re sure it has been received by DDS. Doctors fill these forms out all the time for SSA, so it may just be that they got busy or need a lot of reminders.If you get denied on your first attempt, don’t panic! Most people do. Make sure you appeal ASAP. Contact your medical examiner and ask what other information you need to provide for them to make a decision and get it to your examiner. If DDS sends you to their doctors, make sure you don’t miss any appointments. If you are denied a second time, you will need a lawyer for your next appeal, which will be in front of an administrative law judge.If you need a disability attorney and don’t know where to find a good one, you can contact your state’s PABSS agency. Each state receives funding from SSA for Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security. You can easily google your state’s PABSS agency to see if they can assist you with finding a good attorney. Some disability attorneys are excellent, some are not. You want a reputable one. Or ask friends who receive disability if they used an attorney and if they would recommend her.Here is a resource from Social Security that may help you;Benefits Planner: Disability | How You ApplyThis is a lot of information, but by no means complete! However, it’s a good start, and it puts you ahead of almost everyone else applying for benefits. Good luck!