Chronic pain is one of the most difficult conditions to prove in a Social Security disability claim. This is in large part due to the fact that it is not possible to measure pain in an objective way through scientific instruments. As your Indiana Social Security disability attorney will tell you, whether your claim for chronic pain is accepted quite often depends upon how credible the description made by you, the claimant, is.
How the SSA Evaluates Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can be regarded as a secondary condition, insomuch as it manifests itself as a result of an illness or, in the case of a PI claim, an injury. Your Indiana Social Security disability attorney can explain the process in more detail, but the SSA evaluates claims on the following:
- Through objective testing you are shown to have an impairment that is “medically determinable.”
- It is likely that a person with such an impairment would suffer pain.
- The pain is intense and persistent enough to limit your ability to perform the basic duties of your job.
Your credibility as it relates to your responses to the above weighs heavily on the determination the SSA will ultimately make.
The Importance of Objective Evidence
Your Indiana Social Security disability lawyer will tell you that objective evidence of your condition is vital in proving your claim. Without such evidence – whether it be physiological, psychological or anatomical – your impairment will not be considered “medically determinable,” and your claim will be denied. This is true even if your complaints of pain seem reasonable and genuine.
Obtaining SSD for Chronic Pain Is Difficult, but Not Impossible
It is very important that you are able to provide objective evidence of the condition which causes your pain. An Indiana Social Security disability attorney may be able to guide you through the claims process to a positive outcome, or help you if your claim is denied.
Contact an Indiana Social Security Disability Attorney Today
For more information about your disability claim from an Indiana Social Security disability attorney, contact Barnes Cadwell, an association of lawyers and not a partnership today at (317) 804-5058.