One piece of “lingo” you may hear throughout your disability application process is RFC – Residual Functional Capacity. An RFC is the maximum effort you can do once your physical and psychological impairments are taken into consideration and is what the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses to find whether or not you are disabled.
Every file that goes through the SSDI or SSI process has an RFC completed at least once. Unfortunately, those RFCs are typically done by doctors who work for Disability Determination Services (DDS) and SSA and are typically done without the doctor actually examining the claimant/patient. Therefore, they usually result in a denied claim.
However, if you have a physician who supports your claim for disability benefits, it can be helpful to ask him or her to complete an RFC form on your behalf. These forms can be downloaded from the SSA’s website. If you download and print off the form, take it to your doctor’s appointment, ask if they will complete the form, and submit it to SSA for review.
When your doctor is completing the RFC form, it is important for them to be thorough in their explanation of your limitations. The more evidence the doctor can provide to SSA supporting your limitations, the stronger your case is.
If you need help with your SSDI or SSI case, contact an experienced attorney today.