Need a Doctor's Opinion?
Browse our Rolodex of doctors around the valley who are amenable to completing disability assessments at a reasonable fee.
Hearing Pointers
If you have a hearing date scheduled and you're starting to get nervous, here are some tips and pointers to review.
Medical Opinion Forms
It's always helpful to have a disability form with you when attending a doctor's appointment. Download and print a medical assessment.
Consultative Exam Tips
If you have a consultative exam, take a moment to review 6 important tips.
SSA Form Library
Browse our library of the latest version of common SSA forms for you to download.
Dire Need Request
If you are experiencing extreme financial hardship, review this section for help.
Additional Resources
Utilize additional resources that we've linked including medical and mental health resources.
Investigation Report
Learn more about the Investigative Reports that SSA occasionally conducts.
FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY EVALUATIONS
Dr. Mitchel Lipton M.D. (Hand Specialist)
Dr. Mitchel Lipton and his son Dr. Carter Lipton are orthopedists and their specialty involves
hands and manipulation. For a very reasonable fee of $500-$750, Dr. Carter will review your
medical records, consult with you remotely, and provide his detailed medical opinion concerning your hand manipulation limitations. Dr Lipton’s opinion will be persuasive to eliminate jobs that require manual dexterity (such as computer jobs!)
Highly recommended for diagnoses of peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel, tendinitis,
fibromyalgia, trigger finger, or any other condition that affects your ability to feel, handle, grip,
and otherwise manipulate objects.
Office Location:
9225 N 3rd Street Suite 101
Phoenix, AZ 85020
Please contact Dr. Lipton’s office at (602) 861-1218 to schedule a remote appointment.
Note: Dr. Lipton’s office will charge the higher fee of $750 when our client brings multiple medical records for review. To keep the cost down, we recommend only bringing in recent imaging, nerve conduction study, EMG exam, or physical therapy record.
Robin Goldstein, MS, LPC (Mental Health Specialist)
Robin Goldstein has a private practice in Tempe and specializes in anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar, and other mental illnesses. She typically charges $400 to review a client’s records and conduct an initial evaluation. From there, she usually requires 3 treatment sessions ($150 each) before she feels comfortable completing a psychological disability evaluation which can prove exceptionally helpful towards winning a Social Security Disability claim. She is able to meet with client’s in person or via telehealth.
Office Location:
Robin Goldstein
9030 South McClintock Drive
Tempe, AZ 85282
Please contact Robin Goldstein directly at (480) 949-2075 to schedule an appointment
and mention you were given her information by Desert Disability®
Sandy Goldstein, PT, CDMS (Scottsdale, AZ)
Sandy Goldstein of MeasurAbilities can conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your physical
ability and residual functional capacity to perform work that is specifically focused on disability benefits eligibility. His fees vary and clients should call to receive a quote first before scheduling.
Click here to view a real example of Sandy Goldstein’s Functional Capacity Evaluation
Office Location:
MeasureAbilities, LLC
8147 E Evans Road, Suite 8
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Please contact Sandy Goldstein directly at (480) 214-9725 to schedule a remote
appointment.
CNS Memory Clinic – Dane Higgins, Ph.D.
CNS Memory Clinic provides comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations completed by
trained psychometrists. The evaluation typically lasts 4.5 hours and is followed by an
appointment with the founder, Dane Higgins, Ph.D., to review your results and provide interventions and a treatment plan.
The out-of-pocket cost for a neuropsychological evaluation is $2,500; this includes your initial consultation, the evaluation itself, and the follow-up review appointment with Dr. Higgins. CNS Memory Clinic does accept AHCCCS insurance.
Click here to view a real example of a CNS Neuropsychological Evaluation Report.
Office Information:
2440 N. Litchfield Rd. Suite 200
Goodyear, AZ 85395
(623) 977-6860
To schedule an appointment, call (623) 977-6860.
Nexus Medical Services for Veterans
Nexus Medical Services is a leading provider of independent medical opinions for veterans. As veterans themselves, they understand the challenges faced by other veterans using the VA
health system. Their team consists of board-certified medical professionals who specialize in evaluating veterans’ medical conditions.
Fees start at just $500
To schedule an appointment, call (787) 718-1821
HEARING POINTERS
Don’t be fooled by the ‘informality’ of your hearing
While the hearing itself is informal and “non-adversarial” in nature, that does not mean you should let your guard down. Your testimony is very important to your claim. Even though the hearing is indeed a ‘fact-finding proceeding’, it is very important that you prepare yourself in advance for what to expect so that you don’t inadvertently share or admit to something that isn’t necessary or asked.
Treat your Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) with respect
Your assigned ALJ will be issuing a written decision on your claim. While judges are bound by the law, they are free to ‘judge’ your credibility as he or she sees fit. It is wise to refer to your ALJ as “Your Honor” or “Judge” when addressing him or her as a showing of respect. I also advise clients to completely wait until the Judge has finished asking a question before answering the question.
If you don’t understand something, say something!
If for some reason you don’t understand the Judge’s question, ask the Judge to politely repeat themselves. You can do so by saying “I’m sorry Your Honor, can you please repeat the question?”
Or, if you don’t understand the meaning of the question, you can say “Jeff, can you please explain what the Judge means?”
In either instance, DO NOT answer a question that you don’t fully understand.
Do not let pride interfere with the truth
I’ve done this long enough to know that it is very, very, very hard to talk about one’s disabilities and physical/cognitive limitations. The disability process is extremely humbling. However, you have waited so long to get to your hearing. Please do not let your pride or personhood interfere with telling the truth about how hard it is for you to do different things. It is very important that you DON’T HOLD BACK during the limited time you have with the judge. Everything that you say is 100% confidential and will not be used for any other purpose aside from the determination of your disability claim.
Answer questions based on one of your “bad days”
Oftentimes my clients will tell me they have good days and bad days when it comes to their symptoms. During your hearing, you are encouraged to respond to questions concerning your symptoms and limitations as though it is on one of your bad days.
Avoid vague responses
Judge’s prefer specific answers as opposed to vague responses. For instance, if the judge asks you how often do you drive a vehicle and you respond “not too often, only once in a while”. The judge has no idea what to make of that. A better response would be to state “Judge, I really don’t like to drive at all unless I truly have to. I only drive 1-2x/week to go to my doctor’s appointments. I only drive during the day and never more than 10 miles from my house because I cannot sit for more than 15 minutes at a time before I get severe pain in my back.”
The same is true when it comes to testifying as to how long you can do something for, such as sitting or standing. Avoid terms such as “little bit, only a short period, not very long” as these phrases are ambiguous. It’s best to quantify how long you can do something for in minutes (i.e., 15 to 20 minutes max). Also, it is important to describe what type of feeling you get after 15 to 20 minutes that causes you not to be able to withstand that activity any longer.
6 Tips for Consultative Exams
#1 – Document Your Experience
Arrive on time and notate the start and end time of your exam and who it is with.
#2 – Don’t Pretend
Don’t fake your symptoms or bring an ambulatory device you are not prescribed.
#3 – Be Honest and Expressive
Be open and honest about all your medical problems and symptoms.
#4 – Ask About Your Records
Know which of your medical records are the most important and ask if they have been reviewed by the doctor or nurse.
#5 – Notate the Tests
Take notes of what tests or exams the doctor performs on you and approximately how long each test took.
#6 – File a Complaint if Necessary
If you have a bad experience, write a statement, and file an official complaint with SSA. This will be helpful to refute the doctor’s opinion.
Medical Source Statements
Download one or more Medical Source Statement (MSS) forms as applicable to your condition. Bring the form to the appropriate doctor and ask them if they are willing to complete it. Make sure you send the completed form back to our office so we can submit it to SSA. Please do not share this page with others.
General (PCP) MSS (pdf)
Physical MSS (pdf)
Cardio MSS (pdf)
Short General MSS (pdf)
Fibromyalgia MSS (pdf)
Neurological MSS (pdf)
Depression MSS (pdf)
Anxiety MSS (pdf)
Psychological MSS (pdf)
Personality Disorder MSS (pdf)
Intellectual Disorders MSS (pdf)
Trauma Disorders MSS (pdf)
Gastroenterology MSS (pdf)
Liver Disease MSS (pdf)
Nephrology MSS (pdf)
Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis MSS (pdf)
Oncology MSS (pdf)
Pulmonary MSS (pdf)
Respiratory MSS (pdf)
Stroke MSS (pdf)
Vision Impairment MSS (pdf)
Diabetes MSS (pdf)
Hand Function MSS (pdf)
Rheumatology MSS (pdf)
Spinal Nerve Root MSS (pdf)
Vestibular Disorders MSS (pdf)
SSA Form Library
Forms are current as of 07/01/2024
Dire Need Request
Please read this section in full before requesting Dire Need assistance
If you are experiencing extreme financial hardship, we can file a “Dire Need Request” with Social Security on your behalf to try and expedite your hearing and attempt to win your benefits sooner. SSA does require that the claimant prove that their situation is truly dire before a request is granted.
To show extreme financial hardship, we suggest the following pieces of evidence:
– Bank statements over the past 3 months
– Expense spreadsheet
– Eviction or delinquent notices (if applicable)
– Proof of receipt of food stamps
– Personal statement or affidavit
For fastest handling of your Dire Need Request, please send your bank records and other supporting documents to Julio@DesertDisability.com. Once we have your evidence, Mr. Herman will submit your request to SSA.
Additional Resources
- Alzheimer’s Association Resources
- Depression Resources
- Caring.Com – Senior Resources
- Caring.com is a leading senior care resource for family caregivers seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses, and other loved ones.
Investigation Reports
If SSA becomes suspicious of a claimant for any reason, an investigation will be requested. The investigation will be conducted by a special unit within the local police department. The investigation may include: checking unemployment records; reviewing the claimant’s social media pages; sending an uncover officer to conduct in-person surveillance; or even pulling surveillance footage from retail stores or supermarkets.
Provided are some redacted Investigation Reports. These reports become part of the claim file and will be reviewed by the Judge.
We Strive To Achieve The Best Results
If you have questions for our team, please fill out the form or contact us directly by phone at 480-420-7887.
Our location
7272 E Indian School Rd Suite 540 Scottsdale, AZ 85251, USA
quick contact
Phone: 480-420-7887
Email: info@desertdisability.com
We will answer you within 24 hours via email, or you can call us directly for an immediate response.
Contact Us
Register below to schedule a free consultation.