When you’re applying for Social Security Disability benefits, every piece of documentation you submit plays a role in the outcome of your claim. It’s natural to want to be thorough, but there’s one well-meaning mistake that can actually hurt your case: submitting duplicate medical records.
Why Duplicate Records Can Be a Problem
It might seem harmless to send in the same medical documents more than once. After all, more information should help, right? Not always.
Submitting duplicate records can lead to:
- Confusion for the Examiner or Judge: Disability examiners and administrative law judges review hundreds of pages of documents. Seeing the same reports multiple times can make it harder to track the timeline and relevance of your medical history.
- Processing Delays: The Social Security Administration (SSA) already faces significant backlogs. Duplicates can clog the system and slow down the review of your claim.
How Duplicate Submissions Happen
Duplicate records often get submitted when:
- You send in the same paperwork multiple times out of caution.
- Your doctors or hospitals send records that you’ve already submitted.
- You or your representative use multiple methods (mail, online, in person) to submit the same documents.
RELATED POST: Mistakes You May Be Making With Your Doctor That Could Hurt Your Disability Claim
What You Should Do Instead
- Keep a checklist of what you’ve already submitted.
- Organize your records by date and type before sending them.
- Coordinate with your doctor’s office to avoid them sending the same records.
- Work with a disability attorney who can manage the documentation for you and ensure everything is submitted properly.
A Smarter Way to Strengthen Your Claim
Submitting complete and accurate medical records is essential to your disability claim but overdoing it can work against you. Instead of helping your case, duplicate submissions can slow things down or create unnecessary confusion.
If you’re unsure about what to include or how to manage your documentation, consider speaking with a professional. The Ortiz Law Firm helps people nationwide with Social Security Disability claims and can offer guidance on how to avoid common mistakes like this one. Call (888) 321-8131 to see how we can help navigate your Social Security Disability claim.
