Getting Medical Evidence

Having read a great deal about the PIP application process, I would like to know what opinions people have on getting medical evidence.

I ask this because:

1) it seems that the whole process is very hit and miss with medical personnel not being obliged to provide patients with data, and even if they do, they can only really give details of your condition, not how they know it affects you.

2) I don't actually detail how my problems affect my lifestyle either to the rheumatologist or my GP, because those are not their problems. I simply relate where things are stiff/painful.

3) From all I've read it seems to me that the DWP only take any notice of the 'evidence' if it is either unequivocal (e.g. this patient has lost both legs), or it enables them to reject a claim (or part of a claim).

Has anyone found that medical evidence has had a definite, positive, effect on the process?

Hi.

Getting medical evidence certainly made my case for me but I don't understand what you mean in #3 by 'unequivical'. Either it is a diagnosis or its not, surely? A hypothetical patient cannot maybe have lost both legs?

Hi P Cooper

PIP is a benefit for people that have functionality problems ie, "HOW" you are affected
Medical evidence on its own will not win you and award, it can only attest to the "WHY" . One of the biggest problems is submitting to much . More is not always better. HCP's and DM's will not read the eqivalent of War and Peace to find snippets of information. Only relevant medical evidence should be sent if you want it read.

[quote="nonsmoker2008
" post=209490]Hi.

Getting medical evidence certainly made my case for me but I don't understand what you mean in #3 by 'unequivical'. Either it is a diagnosis or its not, surely? A hypothetical patient cannot maybe have lost both legs?[/quote]

What I mean by unequivocal is that the description of the underlying problem implies that the patient meets enough of the required criteria to get an award without any possibility of argument.

So someone without legs would not be able to stand up and walk a metre - full stop.

However, someone with a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis may or may not meet the requisite criteria and I strongly suspect that whatever a doctor writes the DWP will want get an assessment done.

I just don't want to waste my doctors' time getting them to write letters that will effectively be ignored.