Your file contains several types of documents, pertaining to everything from timeliness of filing, to jurisdiction, to vocational assessments, to earnings records, to medical records. Many of these you have no control over. But there are many that you do. So it is vital that you exercise some level of control over those documents that you can. This is where the advice of your attorney can be critical.
One aspect of the case over which you have a good deal of control is your medical treatment. It is crucial to maintain consistent medical treatment. Remember that the standard of disability that SSA uses as a bar is very high. It means not only that you are no longer able to do the work you've done in the past, but that you can't do any other work that exists in throughout the national economy.
It is up to the claimant to prove the fact of disability, and this can only be accomplished through clinical medical evidence. Your subjective complaints are considered, but are not given very much weight. The opinion of your doctor is given some little weight as well, but it will not make the difference. What is vital is clinical medical evidence - fact as opposed to opinion.
Be aware that your doctors make notes in your records of their observations, as well as your complaints. This is not the time or place to be brave. Many an unfavorable decision makes note of the fact that the claimant said he was "feeling better," whatever that means.
But from the SSA point of view, a person who cannot do any work at all is, for whatever reason, in pretty bad shape, and should be seeking consistent treatment and relief. It is logical, for example, for a claimant who alleges significant levels of pain to seek relief by whatever means is available, including pain-killers, therapy, injections, or even surgery.
It is also important that you comply with the instructions and recommendations of your doctors. If an adjudicator or judge wants a reason to deny your claim, they will glom onto whatever they can. So if your doctor prescribes you medicine and you don't take it, it can be held against you.
Cooperate with your attorney in making sure all relevant records are known about and submitted to SSA. Keep in mind that a disabling impairment for SSA purposes is one expected to last at least twelve months or result in death. Not every condition for which you've sought treatment is relevant. The time you cut your finger or had the flu five years ago will not have much bearing on your case, but it is best to let your attorney review your records and present your case in the most favorable light possible.
It is also important to avoid alcohol, illicit drug use, and in some cases, even tobacco. If it is determined that something you are doing is contributing to your disability, and if you stopped doing it your condition would improve, this will be held against you. So if you can't walk a block without shortness of breath, but continue to smoke two packs a day, or are depressed but continue drinking alcohol, or are bipolar but on cocaine, it may be determined that if you stopped doing these things you would get better, and your claim denied.
There are other documents in your file over which you can exercise control. SSA will have you complete adult function reports, stating how you spend your day, and your activities of daily living. Once you have completed these forms and submitted them, they become a permanent part of your record. Any contradiction of them later will have to be explained, and may go to credibility. If a judge doesn't believe that your impairments are as limiting as you say they are, your case is sunk.
Your earnings record is a vital piece of evidence in your file. Be aware that if you have worked for an employer or filed taxes, SSA will have a record of it. If you have earned income after the date you alleged you became disabled, it will have to be explained to the adjudicator's satisfaction. If you have engaged in substantial gainful activity ($940 per month in 2008), your case may not progress beyond the first step of the process. This is also vital for SSI cases, because if you have too much income or too many resources, you will not qualify for benefits.
One other thing you can do to win your case: do not give up! SSA has become notoriously slow. Cases can sometimes linger for three years or more. In the meantime, claimants have not been able to work, have long ago exhausted their savings, have sold their belongings, lost their homes, etc. It is frustrating. But do what you can. Write your congressman. Believe it or not, they do respond, and SSA has a special process they follow when they receive congressional inquiries. Just don't give up.
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