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ANDREW’S ANSWERS: Disability Attorney Andrew November is here to give you ANSWERS! Today’s topic: Depression & Anxiety Disability Insurance Claim Help & Tips

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Katie Nobles:
Hi, I'm Katie Nobles. And thank you so much for joining us. With me today, we once again have disability attorney Andrew November, and he is back with another Andrew's answers segment. And today he's gonna be tackling the topic, depression and anxiety, disability, insurance claim, help and tips.
Andrew November:
Thanks, Katie. Glad to be back talking about this important topic. I, I really can't go a day without seeing a claim for mental health, whether it's short term long term or even social security disability, these cases are always challenging. Not because there's some discrimination against mental health claims. Of course that's possible. But as I've said in so many other videos, and I use this phrase every day, certain claims don't lend themselves to measurable objective findings. For instance, if you come to our office with a back pain case and state that unable to sit and do your job at your desk. Well, that's kind of, well, I don't wanna say it's easy to prove, but there's objective evidence that would demonstrate why you might be experiencing difficulty sitting mental health. It it's very different. Now there is good law out there. And if we do receive a denial, we have the law on our side to litigate and the law states what I just said, that certain claims don't lend themselves to objective evidence.
Andrew November:
So you have to look at other factors. Now that doesn't mean there's nothing that you can't do. The most important thing you can do is to see a specialist, a mental health specialist. Why is that important? Well, the obvious reasons is a specialist is someone who's gonna treat you and understands what you're going through and is gonna help you improve. When you're looking at the evidence or the litigation side of it, what's different about a specialist versus your family, physician, your internist, or your primary care physicians. Well, foremost is their medical notes. Traditionally primary care physicians and more general physician notes follow what's called the soap format. And that stands for subjective objective assessment and plan. Subjective is what you tell your doctors. Objective is what they might observe. Assessment might be the diagnosis and plan might be the orders that they give you when you leave the office. What's missing.
Andrew November:
From there? A mental status examination, a mental status examination is something that's included in every single mental health specialist treatment note. And that goes through a variety of factors, symptoms, and signs that your clinician can observe. So when I go to litigate the case, I can use that documentation to show a longitudinal pattern of the symptoms and signs to show that you do have restrictions and limitations, and therefore are unable to perform the material or essential functions of your job. I love primary care physicians. My primary care physician is fantastic. I know he's is there for me whenever I need him, but I know there's limitations in what he can do and what his notes are going to say. So I'm not saying you have to stop seeing your primary care physician, never stop seeing your primary care physician. They're the quarterback. That's what I always say, but you need to see a specialist.
Andrew November:
I'm not telling you that you have to take medication. Do what your doctors say, but the very least see someone who is going to draft notes that are gonna capture the complete clinical picture of what you're dealing with. And that way, when we go to litigate your case, we're going to be able to prevail because the notes will support what you're telling me and what you're telling the judge or the insurance company. I hope that helps. If you have any other questions about building your case or seeking treatment, I would love to answer, just give us a call or send us a message. Thank you for watching.