What You Need to Know About Consultative Exams

When a judge needs additional documentation in a disability benefits ruling, he or she may order a consultative examination. This is a medical exam funded by the Social Security Administration to be conducted by an M.D. or psychologist they’ve contracted to complete the exam. The claimant in the case does not pay any out-of-pocket expenses for it.

Consultative exams occur most frequently when a claimant doesn’t have a primary care physician or has not received medical care recently.  Their ultimate goal is to prove the validity of a claim with concrete, expert proof.

They can be beneficial to a claimant if they yield additional debilitating results not listed in the initial application. Since the healthcare provider is selected and funded by the SSA, the findings are considered objective evidence, so they are hard to ignore or dispute in a court of law.

If you’re facing a disability benefits hearing or want to approach your claim with more confidence, the expert Social Security Disability Benefits team at Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, can help. Contact us toll-free at 1.877.526.3457 or send us an e-mail to schedule your 100% free initial consultation.