Trailer material, also known as trailer mail, is any evidence received after completion
of the disability determination. The DDS must review this evidence to determine whether
it has an effect on the determination.
The DDS will recall the case to take appropriate action if it appears the determination
could be revised from a cessation to a continuance or vice versa.
If the trailer material will not affect the determination, add a note to the electronic
folder indicating the disability examiner (DE) reviewed the material (“NAN” to indicate
“no action is necessary”). For paper folders, forward the material to the servicing
field office via Form SSA-408 (Route Slip). The DE must indicate “NAN” on the first page of each item, or on a
separate Route Slip for individual non-paper evidence.
The disability determination services (DDS) must scan any trailer material (including
evidence on compact disk and email) into the electronic folder.
Any trailer material could be important to a future continuing disability review in
the evaluation of medical improvement or an exception. Therefore, do not destroy any
evidence. Discard material only if a search of the file verifies that the trailer
material is an exact duplicate of material already in file.
NOTE: The DDSs in numerous states have begun removing the social security number (SSN)
of claimants, disabled individuals, and number holder’s (NH's) from many of the questionnaires
(pain questionnaires, teacher’s questionnaires, etc.) as a security safeguard. The
DDS must clearly display the relevant SSN on trailer material, needing to be associated
with the file, before forwarding to the appropriate destination. If necessary, write
the proper SSN on the upper right-hand corner of the material to guarantee association
with the correct file.