Albuquerque disability attorney, Donald D. Vigil, advises you keep a symptom diary to improve your chances of success on appeal
In my experience as an Albuquerque disability attorney, I have found that one of the best (and easiest) ways for my clients to improve their chances of success on appeal is to keep a symptom diary.
What is a symptom diary?
A symptom diary is a contemporaneous record of the nature and impact of your symptoms on your daily life; in essence, it is “objective” evidence of the subjective effect of your symptoms on your ability to work.
A symptom diary can take many forms, from handwritten notes on a calendar to a journal kept on your computer. Any means of routinely recording your symptoms will work. The symptoms you record and the frequency with which you do so will depend on the nature of your impairment. For example:
- A calendar makes an effective fatigue and/or sleep diary. Use it to keep a daily record of your sleep patterns and energy level.
- Keep a pain journal. Record as much detail as you can about the subjective manifestations of your pain: Where is the pain located; on a scale of 1-10, how severe is it; what triggered it; how long did it last; what was the practical impact of the pain (e.g., did you stay in bed all day)?
- Treatment/medication diary. A wall calendar is effective for recording your daily medications and the side-effects of each. In addition to this routine information, record emergency medications and/or treatment, such as the use an emergency inhaler or nebulizer, or a visit to the emergency room.
Why is keeping a symptom diary important?
A symptom diary is important because (a) the Social Security disability appeals process moves so slowly that you likely will have to wait many long months for your hearing day to arrive; and
(b) detailed testimony always is more compelling than vague testimony. Regardless of how clear you think your memory is, a symptom diary will help you give stronger testimony because it will allow you to provide the judge with specific examples of when and how your symptoms disrupted your daily life.
Albuquerque disability attorney, Donald D. Vigil, can help you get started
An experienced Albuquerque disability attorney can review the facts of your case and help you determine the type of symptom diary that will be most helpful to your testimony. If you would like to meet with me, please use the Free Claim Evaluation form on this page to tell me about your situation, or call or email me.
Donald D. Vigil
Albuquerque disability lawyer
100 Fourteenth St. S.W.
Albuquerque, NM 87102-2822
