Reports Can Sway the SSA in Your Favor or Against It When Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits
The Social Security Administration (SSA) denies as many as two-thirds of all applications for disability benefits. The agency has stringent requirements for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Applicants must prove they are unable to work due to their disability. In evaluating applications, the SSA may request third-party function reports to corroborate disability claims.
At our Massachusetts disability law firm, we recognize the significance of these reports when you apply for SSDI benefits. The amount of paperwork the SSA requires can feel daunting at times. The legal team at Keefe Disability Law can explain these complex forms to you in simple terms, walking you through every step of the SSDI application process.
Third-Party Function Reports for SSDI Explained
When you apply for Social Security disability Insurance, you submit relevant medical evidence to support your claim. Along with lab results and doctor’s notes, you may also include a self-reported disability journal. When the SSA needs more information to assess your claim, it may request a third-party function report.
Form SSA-3380-BK consists of 10 pages, describing how you manage daily life activities. Whereas a disability journal is based on self-report, a third-party function report contains observations from a family member, former co-worker, or other third party. This individual must provide independent, truthful, and consistent information. They should neither exaggerate nor downplay the impact that your condition has on your ability to function.
Completing the 10-page Third Party Function Report can take upwards of two hours. It consists of both checkboxes and text entry spaces for further elaboration. If you are unable to describe your functional capacity yourself, the SSA or Disability Determination Services (DDS) may also request a third-party function report.
Is the Third-Party Function Report Mandatory?
Generally speaking, the third-party function report is not required for most SSDI applications. You only need to ask somebody to submit one if the SSA or DDS specifically asks for it. They may do so during the initial application stage or as part of the appeal process.
Most commonly, the SSA will ask for the report if the applicant is unable to complete the main function report independently, as may be the case with a cognitive disability. It may also apply if the applicant doesn’t have sufficient reading or writing skills. Another example is an adult dependent who lacks the fine motor skills to write or type.
Do not submit a third-party report unless the SSA asks for it. Consult with our disability lawyers for suggestions on how to strengthen your SSDI application in other ways. Relevant documentation and testing from trusted medical sources is an excellent option.
Information Included in Function Report Forms
The ten pages of this official form consist of several sections with various questions. They’ll ask the person first to provide their basic information and their relationship with you. Subsequent sections dive into their perspective on how you handle personal care, social functioning, chores around the house, and other activities of daily living.
Third-party function reports can be particularly illuminating with invisible disabilities. A person who spends a good deal of time with you may offer insight into how your disability affects your life on a day-to-day basis. They can see the hobbies you pursue, how you manage your money, or how you behave in social settings.
Examples of questions in Form SSA-3380-BK include:
- How long have you known the disabled person?
- How much time do you spend with the disabled person and what do you do together?
- Where does the disabled person live?
- With whom do they live?
- How do this person’s illnesses, injuries, or conditions limit their ability to work?
- Does this person care for anyone else, such as wife/husband, children, grandchildren, parents, friends, or others?
- Do they take care of pets or other animals? If yes, what do they do for them?
- What was the disabled person able to do before their illnesses, injuries, or conditions that they can’t do now?
- Explain how the illnesses, injuries, or conditions affect this person’s ability to dress, bathe, care for hair, shave, feed themself, and use the toilet.
- Do they need help or reminders to take medicine?
- Does the disabled person prepare their own meals?
- List household chores, both indoors and outdoors, that the disabled person is able to do.
- When going out, can they go out alone? If not, explain why they can’t go out alone.
- Has the disabled person’s ability to handle money changed since the illnesses, injuries, or conditions began?
- How does the disabled person spend time with others?
- How far can they walk before needing to stop and rest?
- How well does the disabled person follow spoken instructions?
- How well do they handle changes in routine?
The third-party function report form also provides a section at the end for open-ended remarks. Here, the person can add any information they were not able to discuss in earlier parts of the form.
How the SSA Evaluates Your Disability Claim
These reports come into play during the initial application or SSDI appeals process. The SSA asks for these forms to gain better clarity into how your disability impacts your ability to engage in daily activities.
The SSA is checking if the third-party reports align with other medical evidence in your application. For instance, you may have included a residual functional capacity (RFC) assessment from your family doctor. The third-party report can extend your doctor’s observations beyond a medical office and into your day-to-day life.
The person filling out the form can offer insight into your typical day, not just the day of a doctor’s appointment. They can also provide detailed examples of how your condition limits your functional ability. If you do not appear proficient at self-care and household chores, the SSA may believe you are incapable of regular employment activities, too.
Eligible Individuals Who May Complete These Reports
Strictly speaking, there are no significant limitations on who you may ask to complete this form. Preferably, you should select someone who:
- Knows you fairly well and has known you for some time
- Has perspective on what you were able to do before your disability and how that compares to your impairment today
- Is reasonably articulate, writing about their personal interactions with you
- Is diligent, taking the time to provide complete, thoughtful answers to all questions
- Is truthful and a credible source of information about your disability
Common choices include close family members, caregivers, and former coworkers or supervisors with whom you have maintained contact. Ideally, these individuals can speak to how your disability impairs your ability to engage in substantial gainful activity. They do not need to be medical professionals or have specific medical knowledge.
The Impact of Third-Party Function Reports on SSDI Claims
There is a lot of SSDI paperwork you will need to submit with your application. Our disability lawyers can guide you through this process and answer any questions you may have. Part of that responsibility means staying on top of any requests for more information Social Security may have, like asking for third-party function reports.
The SSA reviews these reports relative to other documentation you have already submitted. They’re looking for corroborating evidence to support your claim. At the same time, they want to identify any inconsistencies in the story you are telling. Perhaps your application states you no longer do any gardening at all. At the same time, a third party reports you can still mow the lawn with difficulty. This can weaken your claim.
The objective of these reports is to pin down the factual truth of the matter and not an exaggerated plea. SSDI approval is based on medical disability, not financial need or an inability to get hired for work. This is also why it is important to submit disability update reports in a timely fashion.
Leverage Keefe Disability Law’s Decades of Experience
Since 1994, the legal professionals at Keefe Disability Law have had a singular focus. We’ve worked exclusively with clients applying for SSDI and Supplementary Security Income (SSI) benefits. Our Social Security disability lawyers have worked tirelessly with clients from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
As a result, we have in-depth knowledge and experience with the SSDI application and appeals process. We have a proven track record of positive results, providing thousands of clients with financial relief and peace of mind. Let us clarify any confusion you may have about the required SSDI forms and reports.
“I am extremely satisfied with the lawyer I had,” writes Roxanne of Salem, Massachusetts. “He did a fantastic job helping me with my case.”
