My disability claim file before and after I hired a rep in Fresno

I submitted my initial claim for chronic back pain in September 2023 and it was literally 12 pages of medical records and a scribbled doctor note (I thought that was enough). After getting denied and hiring a disability rep in Fresno last month, she told me to go back and get specific functional reports from my chiropractor and a spine specialist. Now my file is over 200 pages with x-ray readings, mobility tests, and a detailed daily pain log. Has anyone else seen a huge difference in their approval chances after getting a rep to organize everything?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_julia1mo ago

Oh honey, you brought a butter knife to a surgery. My first file was so pathetic it looked like I'd written it on a napkin during a coffee break. I had three pages of scribbles from a walk-in clinic and thought that was fine. After I hired a rep, she basically told me my file was "cute" in that tone people use when they mean "bless your heart." She had me get actual reports with numbers and dates, not just "my back hurts sometimes." Now I feel like my file could win a trophy for thoroughness. Your 12 pages sounds like my before picture, and the 200 pages sounds like the after picture of someone who finally learned how to play the game.

ninab951mo ago

200 pages isn't automatically better though. I've seen huge files that were just repeating the same vague complaints over and over. A sharp 12 page file with three solid diagnoses and a clear treatment timeline will beat a messy 200 page pile every time. More pages just means more for the judge to get bored reading, not necessarily more proof.