Lots of people ask what they can do to help make their Social Security disability case stronger. As we discussed in a previous blog entry, the Social Security Administration primarily bases its decisions on your medical record. For the SSA, the strongest type of medical evidence is called “objective medical evidence.” Objective medical evidence means laboratory findings (20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1528(c), 404.1529, and 415.929). Some examples include X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, nerve conduction studies, or I.Q. tests. The SSA considers laboratory findings to be the best way to determine whether your allegations of disability are credible. This means that whenever possible, medical tests and imaging should be obtained to help substantiate your symptoms. If a test result demonstrates that your symptoms are as severe as you are alleging, Federal regulations require the Social Security Administration to consider this objective medical finding as very strong evidence of disability (20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1527, 416.927, 404.1929, and 415.929).
