By Eric A. Shore, disability attorney. I have been helping people get their disability benefits since 1994.
Here is the most important thing I can tell you: Social Security does not give you benefits just because you are sick. They give you benefits because your medical records show what you cannot do anymore.
That starts with what you say to your doctor. And most people are saying the wrong things.
Key Takeaways
- Social Security looks at what your body can no longer do, not just what condition you have.
- The most useful things in your medical file describe your limits in real numbers: how many minutes, how many pounds, how many times a week.
- A form called an RFC, filled out by your doctor, is one of the most powerful things you can have in your case.
- Missing doctor appointments, or telling your doctor you feel “okay,” are two of the biggest reasons good cases get denied.
- In fiscal year 2025, Social Security only approved about 36 out of every 100 disability applications. That means 64 out of 100 people were told no the first time. Most people who eventually win do it on appeal, after building a stronger medical record.
Why Having a Diagnosis Is Not Enough
A lot of people think that if a doctor says you are sick, Social Security will approve your case. That is not how it works.
Social Security wants to know one thing: can you still work? Not whether you have a bad back or a heart problem or bad anxiety. They want to know if those conditions stop you from being able to hold down a job for at least 12 months in a row.
That is where the medical record comes in. And that is where most people lose.
I have been handling disability cases for over 30 years. I have helped more than 40,000 people get their Social Security disability benefits, all across the country. And I see the same problem over and over again. People have real conditions. They have been going to their doctor. But when I look at their records, every page says the same thing: “stable.” “Doing well.” “No change.”
I had a client in Philadelphia. She went to her doctor every month. Her condition was serious. But every time the doctor asked how she was doing, she said the same thing: not great, but no change. So the doctor just wrote “no change” and moved on. After the very first visit, there were almost no real details in her file. Just “no change,” over and over again.
By the time her case got to a judge, there was almost nothing to work with. The judge could not see how bad things really were. “No change” does not tell a judge that this woman needed help getting off the toilet. It does not tell a judge that she had fallen out of bed twice trying to get up in the morning. It does not tell a judge that she slept on the couch every night because she could not make it up the stairs.
All of that was true. None of it was in her file. Her case was denied. Not because she was not disabled. Because her records did not prove it.
I see this happen with clients from all over the country. And it is a mistake that can be avoided.
What to Say to Your Doctor When You Are Applying for Disability
Social Security uses something called an RFC, which stands for Residual Functional Capacity. It is basically a checklist of what your body can and cannot do. How long can you sit? How far can you walk? How much can you lift? Can you focus on a task? Can you show up to a job reliably?
Your doctor’s notes need to answer those questions. That means you need to give your doctor something real to write down.
Stop saying things like “my back hurts” or “I’m tired all the time.” Start saying things like “I can only sit for 20 minutes before I have to get up” or “I need to lie down for an hour every afternoon.” One of those tells a judge something. The other tells a judge nothing.
Important: only use these kinds of specific statements if they are true for you. The point is to describe your real life more clearly, not to say things that are not accurate. Saying things that are not true will hurt your case badly.
Here are weak statements versus stronger, more specific ones:
- Instead of: “My back hurts.”
- Say: “I can sit for about 20 minutes before I have to stand up.”
- Instead of: “I can’t stand long.”
- Say: “I can stand for 10 minutes before my leg goes numb.”
- Instead of: “I’m tired all the time.”
- Say: “I need to lie down for an hour every afternoon.”
- Instead of: “My hands hurt.”
- Say: “I drop things three or four times a week.”
- Instead of: “I have trouble walking.”
- Say: “I can walk about one block before my leg gives out.”
- Instead of: “I can’t concentrate.”
- Say: “I lose focus after 15 minutes and have to start over.”
- Instead of: “I forget things.”
- Say: “I can’t follow more than one instruction at a time unless I write it down.”
- Instead of: “I have bad days.”
- Say: “I miss about 4 to 6 days a month because of flare-ups.”
- Instead of: “Lifting is hard.”
- Say: “I can’t lift a gallon of milk with my right arm.”
- Instead of: “I don’t sleep well.”
- Say: “I wake up 3 or 4 times a night and I’m wiped out by noon.”
- Instead of: “Stairs are hard.”
- Say: “I sleep on the couch because I can’t get up the stairs at night.”
- Instead of: “I get anxious.”
- Say: “I had to leave two appointments early this month because of panic attacks.”
- Instead of: “I have bathroom problems.”
- Say: “I need help getting up from the toilet.”
- Instead of: “I fall sometimes.”
- Say: “I fell out of bed twice last month trying to get up.”
- Instead of: “I drop things.”
- Say: “I dropped a full glass of water this week because I couldn’t hold on to it.”
See the difference? The stronger versions give a judge something to picture. The weaker ones give a judge nothing.
And here is something I tell every single client: do not leave out the embarrassing stuff. I know it is uncomfortable to tell your doctor you need help getting off the toilet, or that you fell out of bed, or that you sleep on the couch. But that is the stuff that helps you win. If you do not say it, your doctor cannot write it down. If it is not written down, as far as Social Security is concerned, it never happened.
What You Should Never Say at a Doctor Appointment
Do not say you feel “fine” or “okay.” I know it feels rude to complain. But when your doctor writes “patient doing well” in your chart, Social Security reads that and figures your condition must be getting better. Be honest about how you actually feel that day.
Do not exaggerate. I am serious about this one. If a judge thinks you are overdoing it, it will hurt the parts of your case that are completely true. Tell the truth. Be specific. That is it.
Do not skip appointments. If you go three or four months without seeing a doctor, Social Security will often use that as proof that you must be feeling better. Keep your appointments. If money is the problem, tell your attorney. There are ways to work around it.
Do not say you “don’t want” to work. Say you “cannot” work. Those two things sound similar but they are very different in a legal case. What you say to your doctor ends up in your file.
Do not say “other people have it worse.” I have seen clients say this trying to be polite. Social Security may use it to argue your symptoms are not that bad. Talk about your situation, not someone else’s.
What Is an RFC Form and Why Does It Matter?
An RFC form is a document your doctor fills out that describes, in specific detail, what your body can and cannot do. It covers things like:
- How many pounds you can lift
- How long you can sit at one time and over a whole day
- How long you can stand or walk
- How many days a month you would probably miss work
- Whether you need extra breaks during the day
- Whether your condition affects your ability to focus
- Whether you can bend, reach, or use your hands
Most doctors will not fill this out on their own. You usually have to ask, and you may need to bring the form with you. A good disability attorney will often have a version already built and ready to go.
When a doctor who has known you for a long time fills out a strong RFC, that one form can change the outcome of a case. I have seen it happen many times, with clients from all over the country.
Not sure if your records are strong enough? Call 1-800-CANT-WORK. We review cases for free, and we do not charge anything unless we win.
The Most Common Reasons Good Cases Get Denied
Most people who get denied the first time are not turned down because they do not qualify. They are turned down because the paperwork did not prove it. Here are the most common problems I see:
- Doctor’s notes that say what the condition is but not what it stops you from doing
- Symptoms that seem to change from visit to visit with no explanation
- Going three or more months without any doctor visits
- Not following the treatment your doctor recommended, with no written reason why
- Not seeing a specialist for your main condition
- Records that name a diagnosis but never describe what daily life looks like
- No RFC form from any doctor
- Things you said in your Social Security paperwork that do not match what your doctor wrote
- Things you do every day, like driving or grocery shopping, that seem to contradict your limitations
Why You Need More Than Your Primary Doctor
This is something a lot of people do not hear until it is too late: if your only medical records come from your primary care doctor, your chances of winning are not good.
That is not a knock on primary care doctors. They are great for managing your overall health. But Social Security wants to see that you are really trying to get better. They want to see specialists. They want to see test results. X-rays. MRIs. Lab work. Records from doctors who focus on the exact problem you have.
Here is why it matters. A specialist, whether that is an orthopedic doctor, a neurologist, a cardiologist, or a psychiatrist, knows their field inside and out. They know exactly what to look for, what tests to order, and what language carries weight with Social Security. The notes they write are going to be far more detailed and far more useful than a note from a general doctor who sees dozens of different patients every day.
So when you are at your doctor’s appointment, always ask: is there a specialist I should be seeing for this? Is there a test, like an MRI or a nerve study or a blood panel, that would help figure out what is going on or how bad it is?
Here are some examples of who to see for what:
- Back, neck, or joint problems: orthopedic specialist or pain management doctor
- Nerve damage, migraines, seizures, or brain injuries: neurologist
- Depression, anxiety, PTSD, or bipolar disorder: psychiatrist
- Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or fibromyalgia: rheumatologist
- Heart conditions: cardiologist
- Breathing problems: pulmonologist
The longer that specialist has been treating you, the better. And every test result they order becomes part of your record. Social Security takes objective evidence, meaning things that can be measured and seen on a scan or a test, very seriously. A normal office visit note is helpful. An MRI that shows exactly what is wrong is even better.
What to Do If Your Doctor Will Not Fill Out the Paperwork
This happens more than you would think. Some doctors do not like doing disability paperwork. Some think you should keep working. Some just feel they do not have enough to go on yet.
If your doctor says no, here is what to do.
Ask why. Sometimes it is not that they disagree with you. They may just need more documentation. Try keeping a daily journal of your symptoms, pain levels, and what you could not do that day. Bring it to your next visit. It can change the conversation.
See a specialist. As covered above, a specialist who focuses on your condition will carry far more weight than a general doctor. If you have not done that yet, now is the time.
Go to the Social Security exam if they send you one. Sometimes Social Security will schedule their own doctor appointment for you. It is usually short and not nearly as useful as records from your own treating doctors. But you still have to go. Be honest. And keep seeing your own doctors at the same time.
If Your Disability Started With an Accident or a Workplace Injury
A lot of the cases we handle started with one moment. A car crash. A fall at work. A surgery that went wrong. One event that changed everything.
What most people do not realize is that one event can open up several different legal cases at the same time. You might have a Social Security disability claim, a workers’ compensation claim, a personal injury lawsuit, and a long-term disability claim through your job, all going at once.
At our firm, we call this DISINJURY. It refers to cases where one accident leads to overlapping claims that affect each other. Something you say to a workers’ comp insurance company can show up at your Social Security hearing. A personal injury settlement can actually reduce your Social Security benefits if it is not handled the right way. A disability insurance company may hire someone to follow you around and film you, and that footage can end up in front of your Social Security judge.
If your disability came from an accident or a job injury, make sure whoever is handling your Social Security case knows everything about your other claims too.
How the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore Can Help
Social Security disability is a federal program. That means it does not matter where you live. If you cannot work because of a medical condition, we can help you.
Over the past 30 years, our firm has helped more than 40,000 people get their Social Security disability benefits throughout the United States. We have recovered more than $250 million for our clients. Hiring a lawyer is easy now. Everything can be done by phone, email, or video. You do not need to be anywhere near us. You just need someone who knows how to win these cases.
When you hire us, we get to work building the kind of medical record that wins. We track down your records, work with your doctors to get RFC forms done, prepare your appeal if you were denied, and stand next to you at your hearing in front of a judge.
If your case was already denied, do not give up. The appeal is where a lot of the best cases finally get approved.
Call 1-800-CANT-WORK for a free consultation. We do not charge anything unless we win.
Questions People Ask All the Time
Should I tell my doctor I am applying for disability?
Yes. When your doctor knows that Social Security may be looking at your records, they usually write more detail. It also makes it easier to ask them to fill out an RFC form.
Can my doctor refuse to fill out the paperwork?
Yes. Doctors are not required to do this. If yours says no, ask why. Think about adding a specialist to your care. And keep going to your appointments so at least your records show your condition over time.
What is an RFC form?
It is a form your doctor fills out that tells Social Security exactly what you can and cannot do physically and mentally. Things like how long you can sit, how much you can lift, how many days a month you would probably miss work. It is one of the most important pieces of paper in a disability case.
Does Social Security actually read my doctor’s notes?
Yes. The judges read them carefully. They often quote directly from those notes when they explain why they approved or denied a case.
How often do I need to see my doctor while my case is going on?
There is no exact rule, but if you go more than about three months without seeing anyone, Social Security may say your condition must not be that bad. Regular visits, even short ones, keep your record current.
How much can I earn while I am applying for disability in 2026?
In 2026, the limit is $1,690 a month before taxes if you are not blind. See our full guide on working while applying for disability for everything you need to know, including the blind applicant limit and the Trial Work Period.
How long does a disability case take in 2026?
The first decision usually comes in three to six months. If you are denied and have to go to a hearing, the whole process can take one to two years depending on where you live. See our guide to getting benefits faster for tips on avoiding delays.
Does having a lawyer actually help?
Yes. People who have attorneys win at hearings at a much higher rate than people who go alone. And you do not pay anything unless you win. Social Security itself sets the limit on what your attorney can charge.
What conditions qualify for disability?
Almost any condition can qualify if it stops you from working for at least 12 months in a row. It does not matter what it is called. What matters is what it keeps you from doing. See our disability benefits guide for more.
Can I work part-time while collecting disability?
You can earn some money without losing your benefits, as long as you stay under the monthly limit. See our guide to working while on disability for the full rules.
One Last Thing, From Me
Most people who apply for disability are not trying to get something they do not deserve. They are trying to survive. They are trying to pay rent and feed their families while dealing with a body that will not cooperate anymore.
Social Security does not judge how hard you have tried. It only looks at the evidence. And that evidence gets built one doctor visit at a time.
Before your next appointment, think about what your condition actually stops you from doing. Write it down if that helps. Tell your doctor the real story, including the embarrassing parts. Be consistent. Be honest.
If you have already been denied, do not quit. That is not the end. It is often where the real fight begins.
We handle disability cases nationwide. Call 1-800-CANT-WORK or visit 1800cantwork.com. No charge unless we win.
Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Every case is different.
About Eric A. Shore
Since 1994, Eric Shore and his team at the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore have helped more than 40,000 people get their Social Security disability benefits throughout the United States and have recovered more than $250 million for their clients. The firm is licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida. Eric also runs a Social Security Disability Tips group on Facebook with more than 40,000 members across the country.
Call 1-800-CANT-WORK or visit 1800cantwork.com. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
