Medical Evidence and Back Pain

Dublin Social Security attorneyNationally, Social Security disability claimants seek benefits more often due to back problems and injuries than almost any other type of condition or injury, and low back pain is the most frequent type of back problem. The challenge for claimants with back pain, and their Dublin Social Security attorney, is that the objective medical evidence does not always reveal serious abnormalities correlating to the muscle spasms, pain, and limited ability to stand, sit, bend, or lift that claimants suffer.

Medical Imaging Does Not Always Correlate

Physicians know that the symptoms an individual exhibits do not always match their x-rays and other medical imaging results. Some individuals with absent or mild symptoms have x-rays showing severe joint and bone degeneration, while other individuals with mild abnormalities experience severe pain. Even the Social Security Administration acknowledges in its Listing of Impairments that “there is a relative lack of correlation between findings on imaging and function of the joint.” Nevertheless, disability benefits are frequently denied because x-ray results do not correlate with the pain and limitations claimed by the claimant. Even if the case record contains the treating doctor’s report that describes a substantially limited residual functional capacity (RFC), the judge may deny disability. To counter this potential problem, your Dublin Social Security attorney needs to have the treating doctor explain why the diagnosis is supported by the findings and why he or she concluded your RFC was significantly limited.

If you have questions concerning your Social Security disability case and would like to talk with an experienced and knowledgeable Dublin Social Security attorney, please contact the law firm of Durden, Rice & Barfield, P.C. by calling (888) 705-8672.