Brad, in San Diego, California asks “I was scheduled for a social security medical exam for my SSDI case; I was not able to make the appointment because of car trouble. What should I do?”

After you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, it is not uncommon for the examiner at Disability Determination Services (DDS) to schedule you for a medical exam, or consultative exam. This exam is performed by a doctor in a private practice; he/she is not a Social Security employee. Consultative exams are usually very brief and tend to last less than 15 minutes.

Missing a consultative exam will delay the processing of your claim. If you keep missing scheduled exams, the DDS examiner might deny your claim for failure to cooperate. There are many reasons why you might need to have a consultative exam including out of date medical records, or if your medical records do not address the disabilities listed on your disability application. Regardless of why you are scheduled for an exam, make sure you attend.

If you can’t make it to your exam or if you missed your appointment, let your DDS examiner know as soon as you can. The DDS examiner can schedule another appointment for you. To contact your DDS examiner you should ask your local Social Security Office for the phone number of the DDS office that is processing your claim. When you call the DDS office, they should be able to find out which examiner is assigned to your claim and connect you to him/her.

If you have been denied disability, talk with an experienced disability attorney who can help you with your case. Click here to schedule a free consultation with an experienced disability attorney in the San Diego & Los Angeles area, serving all of Southern California