Below is contact information for DDS offices in Virginia:
ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS
8004 Franklin Farms Dr.
Richmond, VA 23229-5019
Phone: (804) 662-7625
Toll Free: (800) 552-5019
Fax: (804) 662-9041 or (804) 662-7275
CENTRAL VIRGINIA OFFICE
9960 Mayland Dr., Suite 200
Richmond, VA 23233
Phone: (804) 367-4700
Toll Free: (800) 523-5007
Fax: (804) 527-4523
TIDEWATER OFFICE
5850 Lake Herbert Dr., Suite 200
Norfolk, VA 23502
Phone: (757) 466-4300
Toll Free: (800) 379-4403
Fax: (757) 455-3829
NORTHERN VIRGINIA OFFICE
11150 Fairfax Blvd., Suite 200
Fairfax, VA 22030-5066
Phone: (703) 934-7400
Toll Free: (800) 379-9548
Fax: (703) 934-7410
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA OFFICE
612 S. Jefferson Street, Suite 300
Roanoke, VA 24011
Phone: (540) 857-7748
Toll Free: (800) 627-1288
Fax: (540) 857-7707
SOUTHWEST REGIONAL OFFICE – EXTENDED SERVICE TEAM (EST)
111 Franklin Road, S.E., Suite 250
Roanoke, VA 24011
Phone: (540) 512-1880
Toll Free: (877) 892-6871
Fax: (540) 512-1990
You can also contact your local Social Security Field Office for the status of your claim.
Yes. Sometimes DDS will wait to make a decision on a claim and put the claim on hold. Usually this happens when you have suffered a severe injury or have a serious illness, but DDS is unsure of whether you will recover fully with appropriate treatment.
For example, you may have suffered a traumatic brain injury in an auto accident or multiple fractures in a work accident. Or maybe you are a firefighter who was diagnosed with heart disease. These are injuries that may resolve within a few months – or may take much longer. DDS may put your claim on hold to see what happens.
Upon receipt of your file from the local Social Security Field Office, DDS will assign your case to a disability claims examiner. There are four types of claims examiners: those who handle initial applications for benefits; those who handle requests for reconsideration; those who supervise other claims examiners; and, those who help with continuing disability reviews (CDRs).
Claims examiners are responsible for the nonmedical aspects of Social Security Disability claims. Their responsibilities include:
- Determining your age
- Determining your past relevant work and whether you gained any transferable job skills
- Determining your highest level of education
- Obtaining school records if your claim is based on intellectual disability or other mental disorders
- Scheduling you for consultative examinations if necessary
- Requesting and obtaining medical records from your treating health care providers
- Speaking with DDS medical consultants about your medical impairments and whether additional medical evidence is needed
- Speaking with DDS vocational analysts for clarification on your past work and transferable skills
DDS claims examiners are supposed to conduct their evaluations as directed by the Program Operations Manual System (POMS).
No, the claims examiner is not qualified to make a decision on the severity of your medical impairments. Social Security’s regulations do not allow claims examiners to make medical determinations in most cases. The examiner must rely on the medical consultant’s findings.
Unfortunately some claims examiners may try to make medical decisions in your case. They may think that after reviewing hundreds or thousands of claims, they are qualified to make those decisions. But they are not permitted to do so. Your disability attorney will be able to review the file and determine if an improper determination was made.
Your DDS claims examiner will work with a medical consultant to evaluate your claim. Medical consultants are the people who review your medical records and make a decision on the severity of your impairments and how they impact your activities of daily living.
A DDS medical consultant must be a licensed medical doctor, osteopathic doctor, or psychologist with a Ph.D. Many DDS doctors are retired physicians.
If you apply for disability based on a mental disorder, a licensed clinical psychologist or psychiatrist will review your claim. If you apply for benefits based on a physical disability, a licensed medical doctor or osteopath will evaluate your claim. If your claim for benefits is based on both mental and physical impairments, then multiple state agency medical doctors may evaluate your claim.
Usually the DDS medical consultant receives your claim after the disability examiner has obtained your medical records, talked with you by phone about your medical treatment and activities, and reviewed your work history. The medical consultant will not examine you in person. In fact, he or she will probably not even call you.
The medical consultant will do the following after receiving your file:
- Evaluate your medical records and reports and compare the findings to Social Security’s Listing of Impairments
- Determine which of your conditions are severe medical impairments
- Tell your claims examiner what other evidence would be helpful to making a medical determination in your claim
- Tell your claims examiner what type of consultative examination(s) should be requested
- Sign disability assessment forms
The medical consultant should not one of the doctors who examines you at a consultative examination or who treats you in a private practice or local clinic. Such a relationship is disqualifying. Bring it to your disability attorney’s attention immediately.
So the claims examiner makes a decision on the nonmedical aspects of your SSDI or SSI claim and the medical consultant evaluates the medical portion of your claim. If the DDS medical consultant finds you disabled and the claims examiner finds you meet the nonmedical requirements for disability, then both individuals will sign a determination form. The form is sent to your local SSA Field Office, which will contact you to process the award of benefits.
The SSA must notify you of the approval. Approval should be mailed within two weeks of the DDS decision. Sometimes, however, it takes longer to receive the decision depending on how busy – or motivated – the local SSA Field Office employees are.
If your claim is denied you should receive a copy of the Form SSA-831 Disability Determination and Transmittal. This will provide insight into why your claim was denied. And it will help your Richmond disability attorney build your case.
I don’t think DDS is handling my claim properly. What can I do?
My claim was denied. But it doesn’t look like a medical consultant reviewed my file. What’s the best thing to do?
First you have to determine whether you received a “technical” denial. Some claims are denied because you don’t meet the requirements. For example, you may have too many assets or make too much money to qualify for SSI. Or you may have a date last insured in 2000, with no medical treatment before then, so your claim for SSDI is denied.
If you did not receive a technical denial and it looks like your file was not reviewed by a medical consultant, then contact the DDS director. You should ask that your claim be reviewed again, with a formal evaluation from a medical consultant.
Call disability attorney Corey Pollard for help with your SSDI or SSI claim. Your consultation is free.
