tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172073962012-01-11T06:32:56.795-08:00Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comBlogger19041100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-22129951910842013652012-01-11T06:31:00.000-08:002012-01-11T06:32:56.804-08:00

Social Security Disability and SSI disability decisions have two fundamental aspects to them. For adult claims, they are both medical and vocational in nature. That is to say, they are based on the information obtained from a person's history of medical treatment, as well as their history of work activity (in the case of minor child applications for SSI disability, replace work activity with

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-23921983171452133782012-01-11T06:23:00.001-08:002012-01-11T06:27:11.451-08:00

I have a friend who has been driving a generation 2 Toyota Prius since 2005. From the start, he's raved about the car: the fact that its environmentally responsible, that it's made by Toyota and, thus, has outstanding reliability and good resale, and, not least of all, the fact that it saves money at the pump.My friend stopping making such comments about two weeks ago when his Prius essentially

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-8912416847928299272012-01-09T08:37:00.000-08:002012-01-09T08:39:02.020-08:00

Someone recently asked the following: "I'm trying to assist a person who was sent a letter about some kind of disability exam, but he lost the letter and the contact number to schedule an appointment. Is there a central number to call".I answered back with the following:This individual most likely received an appointment letter for a consultative examination. A consultative exam, or CE, is

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-41334953835262103732012-01-06T12:28:00.000-08:002012-01-06T12:31:31.737-08:00

I came across an article that discussed the spike in disability claims and the point of the article was to contend that both social security disability and SSI disability have become de facto extensions of unemployment benefits. I believe I may have read this in the Wall Street Journal, though I'm not quite sure where I read it. Is this true? No. Filing for disability benefits with the social

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-44721453403807568782011-12-28T09:10:00.000-08:002011-12-28T09:13:44.070-08:00

NOSSCR, the national organization of social security claimant's representatives, has reported on a new policy being adopted by ODAR, the office of disability adjudication and review, collectively known as the social security hearing offices. Apparently, the identify of the ALJ, or administrative law judge, will be kept a secret until the hearing--from the claimant's as well as their

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-66200449757009200462011-12-27T11:57:00.000-08:002012-01-06T12:12:55.514-08:00

I read a lot of news, perhaps too much. Perhaps that's why I've been a little depressed lately, to the extent that not even the "Today's Comedy" channel on Pandora, or Thirty Rock can sufficiently pull me up from its wintry depths. Or...maybe it's just the season. That wonderful holiday season. Make no mistake. I do think it is a wonderful season. When else can you binge on tv viewings of Charlie

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-24307047757814493972011-11-28T06:37:00.000-08:002012-01-06T12:13:14.573-08:00

Here is a comment from a psychologist who conducts mental consultative exams for the social security administration (actually, the state agency that handles disability determinations for SSA, which in most states is known as DDS, or disability determination...which brings up the interesting question of why every state does not likewise refer to their state disability agency as DDS since this, I

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-17850476432798394472011-11-27T19:02:00.000-08:002011-11-27T19:03:53.425-08:00

"I applied for all three children at the same time , we didn't have to wait to long before we started getting their payments, I think somewhere in feild of 4 months or so. Anyways they gave me back pay on two of them and not the third. If I applied the same time, shouldn't all three have gotten back pay? All three children are dx with the same thing as well, in reading your blog, that could have

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-52963626891592885762011-10-30T16:16:00.000-07:002011-10-30T16:17:56.607-07:00

"When my (work) disability payments ran out I applied for public assistance (there was no other choice). When I applied for SSD, I was told that I "had" to apply for SSI in addition to SSD. Now that I have been approved, for both SSI and SSD, I have been told by SSA that the SSI back payments will be sent to public assistance. They are calculating the SSI backpay first so that public assistance

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-72333284897551241482011-10-30T16:06:00.001-07:002011-10-30T16:06:42.712-07:00

"I am 43 years old and was diagnosed with cancer 3 years ago (Multiple Myeloma). I missed several months of work during the last 3 years but have been working regular hours for the last year. My doctors have told me I need to file for disability for a long time but I have kept pushing myself every day working. I cannot afford to stop work and wait on disability. My question is, can someone

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-61092506146599130982011-10-28T09:28:00.000-07:002011-10-28T09:30:28.906-07:00

"My husband had been on disability for six years when we were informed that he was no longer disabled and would no longer be recieving checks. As this was not the case we filed for the request for reconsideration. During the time that his disability was being reconsidered we requested that his payments continue as this was our only source of income, and we had just had a baby. they continued his

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-62175181726865942652011-10-28T09:11:00.000-07:002011-10-28T09:15:59.522-07:00

"Both of my sons used to receive SSI checks for there disabilities when they were younger. while they got their checks, I reported everything. Shortly after I started working full time, their checks stopped. At that point Social security had told me they had been hugely overpaid! I filed a waiver for the overpayments. I never heard back from them. After 12 years, my older son filed for his

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-82138430175332283712011-10-08T20:15:00.000-07:002011-10-08T20:16:42.249-07:00

"I just received my award letter, with my benefit amount and such. According to the letter I'm due a substantial back pay amount. The letter stated that they had to determine any SSI benefits I got, which were none. Will my back pay be expedited because I didn't get any SSI benefits? My letter says I qualified for SSI, but my SSDI amount was larger, so that was all I was going to collect."Your

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-57970939925007061462011-09-08T08:52:00.001-07:002011-09-08T08:52:53.101-07:00

"I received my disability letter and it stated my back pay March 2010 through July 2011 is being withheld to see if a reduction due to ssi. I never received ssi however I did receive unemployment during part of that time does that take any part of my back pay? Also would I get the full monthly payment 1,061.00 for the 16 months as stated - March 2010 - July 2011 in one lump sum or installments.

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-69878964127582361522011-09-06T08:41:00.000-07:002011-09-06T08:47:04.938-07:00

Can you Receive the Social Security Back Pay of a Spouse who dies after the Disability Case is Won?Someone made the following comment on another post (Social Security Back Pay )."MY HUSBAND DIED THE DAY AFTER HE WON HIS DISABILITY CASE...AM I ENTITLED TO THE BACK PAY..IT BEEN 5 MONTHS AND NO WORD FROM SS OFFICE."And here's the response:Well there is no one correct answer to this question because

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-26373195050942472782011-09-04T19:17:00.000-07:002011-09-04T19:19:15.712-07:00

Someone recently submitted the following comment. Here is the comment and the response below. "I have been having problems since 2003 and would appreciate any help. I've been disabled since 99. I filed in 2003 for ssi and disability have been denied and refiled. Made it to a hearing with an ALJ. Had an instant denial. Case was sent to review. Found to be an unfair hearing and waited for years

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-65207133685982878692011-09-03T21:08:00.000-07:002011-09-03T21:10:25.429-07:00

The following question was submitted recently in a comment: "On Social Security disability my cobra has been canceled and I am not Medicare age yet will I become eligible for Medicare?" If you are receiving Social Security disability benefits, you will become eligible for Medicare insurance benefits two years after the month you became entitled to your monthly disability benefits. You will be

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-2071239899012819142011-09-01T07:43:00.000-07:002012-01-06T12:15:03.026-08:00

Someone wrote me recently and said the following: "Did you see in newsweek or somewhere.....96% of disability applications are approved in puerto rico in a timely manner? what's up with that?"I responded with:I heard that a long time ago. Probably a "institutional culture" thing, .i.e some of those judges need to be rotated out of there. Some ALJs now are coming under fire because they approve

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-32612603192705018732011-08-20T10:01:00.000-07:002011-08-20T10:08:21.460-07:00

Having a disability lawyer or a non-attorney claimant's representative at the initial disability claim level generally does not make the disability process go any faster in and of itself. Typically, representation saves a claimant from wasting considerable time in the following scenarios: A) The disabled individual is not able to complete their disability application and return the necessary

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-78912361708015897862011-08-18T23:20:00.000-07:002011-08-18T23:22:16.284-07:00

This may be the shortest post I've ever done here, and it is simply to link to a profile page. About the Author

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-75103284726735198772011-07-28T04:40:00.000-07:002012-01-06T12:15:28.949-08:00

Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, for short, is the signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. We hear that statement a lot. So much that we become a bit immune to what it may often entail and accompany. But troops returning from those theaters of operation don't have the same luxury. A very high percentage have suffered some degree of TBI and the effects will follow them for the rest of

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-43913655213317592822011-07-25T08:17:00.000-07:002011-07-25T08:26:25.360-07:00

Disclaimer: I am not a financial expert, not by any means, on any day, in any reality. Which makes it, from my point of view, all the more amazing that as I watched this last weekend the political back-and-forth on the "debt ceiling/potential default/possible sovereign debt downgrade/risk of a run on the markets" issue...it became increasingly apparent that I don't seem to know, for all intents

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-49892214163669683082011-07-21T06:42:00.000-07:002011-07-21T06:56:03.565-07:00

I don't normally visit Huffpo, but there's an article there today titled "Federal Reserve Actively Preparing For The Possibility Of U.S. Default". The title pretty much says it all. The federal reserve, the treasury department's bank, is getting things in order should the previously unthinkable, a default on the part of the U.S. government, come to pass. The unthinkable has recently become very

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-76477411024631032602011-07-08T07:18:00.000-07:002011-07-08T07:27:31.220-07:00

According to the commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Michael Astrue, it currently takes, on average across the country, about 367 days, a bit more than a year, to receive benefits, assuming an individual is approved. The goal of SSA is to reduce the wait time to 270 days or nine months within two years. Will this happen? No one really knows as some of the factors mediating this

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-37461191625375910672011-06-09T09:21:00.000-07:002011-06-09T09:30:30.872-07:00

A recent report on FBN purported to have some significant statistics regarding the social security disability program. According to the report, 10.2 million new individuals "joined the program" as it put it. By this, I assume they meant that this was the number of individuals who came into receipt status for social security disability benefits. The report also stated that this number constituted

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-69586858025110637292011-05-11T10:42:00.000-07:002011-05-11T10:54:12.571-07:00

I just encountered an article that had a title similar to this and the author stated that, unfortunately, there was no way of speeding up a social security disability or SSI claim. In some ways, I would be inclined to agree with this individual. After all, claimants have no control over how much time it takes for a disability examiner to arrive at a decision on their case, and they likewise have

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-39536614841060085372011-05-05T20:12:00.000-07:002011-05-05T20:18:39.133-07:00

I read a report this week that stated that more Americans are working later in life, as compared to previous years, and that injuries from work activity are on a steep rise as a result. Why should work injuries increase when more older workers are in the workforce? As the report stated, such workers are at greater risk for bone breaks, muscular injuries, and fractures. According to statistical

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-12106889159801911562011-04-08T06:16:00.000-07:002011-04-08T06:25:58.137-07:00

It's no secret that the number of disability claims that are being filed with the social security administration has been steadily rising. Typically, in past years we've attributed this to the fact that the population of the United States is graying. When people get older, they develop more health issues and begin to have more difficulty with normal daily activities. This doesn't happen to

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-32402942427404969682011-04-01T11:29:00.000-07:002011-04-01T11:37:25.782-07:00

No, they do not. Disability examiners, in most states, are simply individuals who have a certain minimal amount of education that pre-qualifies them for consideration for hiring. Typically, in most states (each state has it own disability determination services agency, or DDS, which processes case decisions for the social security administration), the minimum requirement is that they possess

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-3859319158094527892011-03-16T12:20:00.000-07:002011-03-16T12:31:22.503-07:00

My wife and I recently had a discussion regarding pain medication and how it affects people. She, like me, is a former disability examiner for disability determination services. For those who are unaware, claims that are filed in social security offices get sent to an agency that is known in most states as DDS, or disability determination services. At that agency, each social security disability

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-91232720068715186132011-03-09T15:18:00.000-08:002011-03-09T15:26:32.824-08:00

During lunch with a friend the other day, the conversation drifted to a documentary my friend saw on teachers in China. He said when the teacher was introduced to a grouping of business professionals and government officials, he was greeted with much admiration and respect. Wow, how different things are there. Here, whenever I run into a teacher,that individual is usually someone who was glad to

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-22311891368742467322011-03-01T19:35:00.000-08:002011-03-01T19:42:07.227-08:00

Social Security provides many types of monthly Social Security benefits, and disability benefits are included, so the term Social Security is like an umbrella term for various benefit programs that are administered by the Social Security Administration. Social Security provides: 1. Retirement benefits to individuals who are sixty-two years of age or older, 2. Widow or widower benefits to

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-5767272707500242842011-02-23T06:10:00.000-08:002011-02-23T06:16:40.871-08:00

Just before her wedding, a Knightdale woman was paralyzed in a freak accident This is a particularly sad story that reminds you of how unexpectedly and quickly life can turn on a dime...for the worse.There are lots of hateful comments from readers of this story, many of them revolving around the woman's utilization of medicaid and her postponing her marriage in order to preserve medicaid

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-1751247237659178502011-02-22T12:46:00.000-08:002011-02-22T12:53:24.868-08:00

From the AFGE:Today, the House Leadership released its budget for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. According to the House Ways and Means Social Security subcommittee, passage of this Republican budget proposal would result in a month of furloughs between now and 9/30/11. That would mean 20-23 missed work days and pay cuts of between 7.6% and 8.8%.Additionally, Union leaders have been

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-85873352084619841342011-02-04T08:14:00.000-08:002011-02-04T08:19:10.153-08:00

Recently, I came across this question and the following commentary in a forum. “I have mental health issues, migraines, and insomnia. I have a hearing for Social Security Disability. I am very nervous and I would like to know what goes on at the hearing and how I can win. I am not a fake; I truly need the SSDI. I do have a lawyer.” This statement garnered the following response: Do everything you

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-76876903993680577912011-01-23T07:12:00.000-08:002011-01-23T07:17:26.827-08:00

When you apply for disability with the Social Security Administration, you may be able to apply for Social Security disability, Supplemental Security Income disability, or both programs. Social Security claims representatives evaluate each disability applicant for whichever program they are eligible for at the time of their initial disability interview, and in many cases this can mean both

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-27594129495413239302011-01-11T12:30:00.000-08:002011-01-11T12:33:26.433-08:00

Life is many things but seldom fair. I saw a video link about this story and so many things about it stunned me. To confront death so young, to be the third generation, after your mother and grandmother, to die of the same disease, and to want to experience all that you possibly can within the span of time you have remaining. That's the story of Sabrina Kay Parker. And the story of her boyfriend,

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-27611049530831363442011-01-05T06:04:00.000-08:002011-01-06T09:34:33.247-08:00

Generally, you do not need a disability lawyer when you file your initial disability claim with Social Security. However, if you have memory problems or other mental problems that may prevent you from providing Social Security with the information they need to make a medical determination, you may wish to consider obtaining the services of a disability lawyer or a non-attorney disability

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-62327671654674579002010-12-30T08:35:00.000-08:002011-01-06T09:37:51.259-08:00

Someone from my high school posted on facebook that they were in a holiday funk. Understandable, of course. I've not managed to avoid one of those for quite a while. One respondent offered the following advice:Possible solutions to your dilemma.1. Cheesecake.2. Xanax.3. Berate the dog for life's shortcomings.Oh, the Holiday Cheer that's in the air.Additional information on Social Security

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-21775666551491935332010-12-21T10:04:00.000-08:002011-01-06T09:38:09.277-08:00

I read, scratch that, I heard this morning on NPR that yet more advertising money has moved from print media to the web. Not surprising in the least. When you pick up a magazine, you may occasionally find your eyes drawn to the colorful and interesting ads that appear here and there. However, bright, colorful, interesting, and even sometimes wickedly humorous...doesn't quite make up for an

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-16156684839200158192010-12-06T12:10:00.000-08:002011-01-06T09:38:28.729-08:00

I'm sitting upstairs in my home, working in what is currently considered to be a fairly normal conventional manner: typing on a keyboard attached to a pc while music plays in the background (I agree, this beats a lot of jobs). Yet, the scene is very different than what might have been possible just a handful of years ago. I have a regular sound system, but instead of utilizing it I'm listening to

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-75747473294012701762010-12-03T07:52:00.000-08:002011-01-06T09:39:15.130-08:00

Lately it seems, there's been quite a bit of discussion about health care and health insurance. Well, not exactly "lately". These topics have been hotly debated for the last few years. But, recently, the chatter has heated up a bit more, no doubt fueled by Republican party gains in the Senate and, particularly, in the House of Representatives. Just, yesterday, NPR carried a conversation featuring

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-1496281092056958972010-11-21T15:29:00.000-08:002011-01-06T09:39:54.851-08:00

A New York Times articles states some pretty sobering statistics about type II diabetes.One out of every 10 people in America has diabetes (if that's not a staggering reflection on the general health of the nation, I don't know what is)By the year 2050, it's predicted that one in every three Americans will have diabetes Twenty-five percent of those with type II diabetes do not get the care they

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-11075156345108271522010-11-19T07:54:00.000-08:002011-01-06T09:40:17.229-08:00

Ok, this post is not really an analysis of the U.S. postal system. But...I had an experience at my own local post office and after relating the event to my wife, her response was: "That's why they're going under. All they have to offer is service and if they can't offer then what good are they?"Here's what happened. We have recently relocated to our new home which is a restoration of an old

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-61506980315946967222010-11-14T09:37:00.000-08:002011-01-06T09:40:35.702-08:00

I can't tell you how many times I've heard it fall from someone's mouth that they thought that individuals filing for disability benefits were a huge drain on the nation's coffers. My immediate response has always been to point out to them that the great bulk of payments issued by the social security administration has everything to do with retirees. Still, the stories that get the most press

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-63568678887849313452010-11-08T10:16:00.001-08:002011-01-06T09:40:57.350-08:00

Most people who apply for SSD or SSI have no trouble demonstrating that they have some sort of severe impairment, but many are surprised when, despite solid medical documentation, they are denied disability benefits. In these cases, when a claimant has been denied on the basis of their presumed ability to return to their past employment or their presumed ability to transition to some new type of

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-68048466029840070132010-11-02T09:29:00.000-07:002011-01-06T09:41:21.313-08:00

I can't recall where I read this information (I came across it about a week ago); however, the subject of the article was the federal government's possible future approach to dealing with its obligations. Of course, this meant tax increases and spending cuts, which seems logical to most people, though not necessarily to all, particularly those who are of the mindset that America, simply because

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-25674662568282618892010-10-23T16:32:00.000-07:002011-01-06T09:41:35.487-08:00

There is an article appearing in the Chattanooga Times Free Press that discusses a correlation between increasing numbers of social security disability claims and higher unemployment statistics. It's not surprising that this would be the case. Individuals who represent disability applicants in areas subject to work closures and layoffs can easily attest to this phenomenon. As the article states,

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-26207638983184669142010-10-15T18:18:00.001-07:002011-01-06T09:42:26.387-08:00

Many, if not most, individuals who consider filing for Social Security Disability (SSD) or SSI probably wonder at first if their physical or mental condition is severe enough to qualify them for benefits. Social Security, in an attempt to avoid subjective disability standards and to inject some uniformity in disability decision-making across the 50 states, has formed its own definition of

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-79425535751023516722010-10-04T08:19:00.000-07:002011-01-06T09:42:56.157-08:00

Social Security Disability (SSD) is awarded to individuals who file disability applications who can prove A) they have a severe, ongoing medical condition, and B) this this condition prevents them from being able to earn a living, either at a job they've done in the past, or at some form of other work for which they might possibly be suited based on their age, education, skills, and functional

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-12569491825435577582010-09-26T02:47:00.000-07:002011-01-06T09:44:17.604-08:00

There is no expressed time limit to Social Security disability benefits, except that all beneficiaries who are receiving disability at the time of their full retirement age automatically convert to full retirement benefits. However, this does not mean that there are no situations that could potentially terminate an individual’s entitlement to disability benefits. For instance, if a person is

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-44374696944185743052010-09-19T20:10:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:20:09.596-08:00

I won't debate the national health care issue. One has to wonder how recent legislation will pan out and it may not be for several years where, with the advantage of hindsight, we can see the measured effects of it all. However, that aside, some recent news stood out.According to the U.S. census, which reported the information last week, about one in six U.S. residents are without heath insurance

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-50249447936415147132010-09-15T06:02:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:23:25.202-08:00

The Social Security Administration does not have caseworkers; it is not a Social Services agency. When you file a disability claim, a Social Security Claims Representative takes your disability information and forwards your claim to the state disability agency for a medical decision. At that point, the Social Security claims representative no longer controls the development of your disability

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-7986264109113596752010-09-09T04:34:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:24:08.972-08:00

Most disability applicants assume if they are approved for disability benefits there is an automatic back payment of disability benefits. However, this is not the case. Back payment of disability benefits is dependent upon a person’s application filing date and the established date of onset. To clarify, the alleged date of onset is generally the first date that an individual states they were

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-86352184190435147702010-08-30T21:32:00.001-07:002011-01-24T06:24:38.223-08:00

The fact is, SSA routinely denies exceptionally strong claims. As a former disability examiner, I particularly recall one case in which an individual was denied at the initial claim level. The DDS (disability determination services) physician who signed off on the case did so using the rationale that the victim's burns did not cause enough stricture (narrowing of tissue resulting in limitations

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-85030199118080727102010-08-23T21:25:00.001-07:002011-01-24T06:26:22.581-08:00

While there is no doubt that it is more difficult to be approved for Social Security disability or approved for Supplemental Security Income disability if you are a younger individual, it is not impossible. Social Security uses a disability guidebook that contains a listing of impairments for all of the body systems and the criteria needed to meet the severity requirements of the various

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-81825637188118855682010-08-18T22:39:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:26:47.093-08:00

Social Security disability win ratios are not high at any level of the disability process other than the Administrative Law Judge Hearing. Only an average of thirty-five individuals out of every one hundred individuals who file initial disability claims are approved for disability benefits. Which means that sixty-five of those individuals will have to decide whether or not to begin the Social

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-52999747454548495362010-08-15T19:55:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:27:32.641-08:00

Many disability applicants have to attend Social Security disability consultative examinations to receive a medical decision on their disability claim because their medical evidence is to old to be considered current, or they have no medical evidence at all for Social Security to make their medical disability determinations. Generally, Social Security, for its disability determinations, would

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-17242425395807155122010-08-14T08:31:00.001-07:002011-01-24T06:28:21.876-08:00

If you are applying for Social Security disability, you can have property. Social Security disability is not a need-based program that requires an individual to meet certain asset resource limits. Social Security disability is based strictly upon an individual’s insured status and insured status is gained through work activity. Each year an individual can earn up to four quarters of coverage

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-16085142792838583752010-08-12T13:06:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:28:48.774-08:00

1. Atherosclerosis is the thickening of walls of arteries due to the build up of cholesterol. 2. Arteries, the blood vessels through which blood flows away from the heart, have three layers: the tissue wall, muscle, and epithelial cells in the center. 3. People can have atherosclerosis for years before noticing the problem. Often the first noticeable symptom is a heart attack. 4. Atherosclerosis

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-77937243099658896952010-08-07T18:08:00.001-07:002011-01-24T06:29:07.381-08:00

Someone recently wrote: "How Is A Social Security Disability Claim Affected If I Move During My Review? I Am Moving From One County To Another But Within The Same State"The most important thing to remember about Social Security disability is that it is a federal disability program and, as such, individuals who receive disability benefits are free to move around within the United States. This, of

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-79701862594469410972010-08-03T01:33:00.001-07:002011-01-24T06:29:39.753-08:00

1. Manic depression is now more commonly termed bipolar disorder. The name is due to the two polar opposites of mood swings from very high, mania, to very low, depression. 2. Mood shifts may occur as infrequently as only a couple of times in a year, or as rapidly as a couple of times per day. Some people may experience some symptoms of both moods at the same time.3. The variation in symptoms and

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-71962094017147197822010-07-30T20:38:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:30:08.273-08:00

Here's a paraphrased comment from someone: "The SSDI and SSI programs are haywire. It annoys me that people get disability so readily and easily.This individual has no real clue as to how the system works. True, some people do get approved on their first disability application. However, the majority, about 70 percent, do not. What happens to those individuals? Some of them give up and really

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-51828209317686508372010-07-28T07:14:00.001-07:002011-01-24T06:30:29.656-08:00

Someone wrote recently the following (paraphrased): "Social security denies nearly everyone the first time, and this is due to a scam involving the judges who used to be practicing disability lawyers, as the lawyers support each other. This forces you to get a lawyer in order to win".Is there any truth to this? Not a bit, and it reflects a complete misunderstanding of how the social security

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-5089214491086030242010-07-25T19:42:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:30:55.265-08:00

We have 9.5% unemployment and a labor market where there are nearly five unemployed Americans for every job available. A friend and I were having a discussion about this and he said "All I know for certain is that the economy has got to produce a great many more decent jobs - and soon. Otherwise, many of the long-term unemployed are going to eventually become a permanent jobless underclass

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-47486683389465692842010-07-23T06:57:00.001-07:002011-01-24T06:31:16.646-08:00

Attorney Charles Hall recently wrote a post on his blog that caught my interest. He reacts to the proposal to raise the social security retirement age to 70 by pointing out, that though people may be living longer these days, that may not have any bearing on how long they can actually work. In other words, you can raise the retirement age to whatever you want--it just may not save that much

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-19381215309356388902010-07-20T22:47:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:31:41.270-08:00

When the social security administration came out with HPI, the program intended to "speed things up" at the hearings offices around the country, I knew it would be a failure. Why? So many reasons, but, mainly, the idea of having clerks rotate from one Judge to another each month meant that no one would, ultimately, be responsible for anything. HPI went down in flames and probably made the

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-27486069719934984482010-07-17T07:38:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:32:08.462-08:00

A study that appears in the American Journal of Pathology indicates that a deficiency in Vitamin D is a factor for colon cancer and for developing inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis and also crohn's disease. Apparently, Vitamin D is also a squelcher of inflammation. I took particular note of this because inflammation is increasingly linked to a ton of disease processes. Whatever

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-7636710894079866062010-07-16T09:58:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:32:31.464-08:00

Someone wrote recently (and I am paraphrasing) "Can't the social security administration get the veteran's service record to confirm that he was in combat and had injuries? It should be their job to research this and the person should not have to prove they were in combat".The individual who wrote this, unfortunately, does not have a proper understanding of how the social security disability

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-14584554290280144382010-07-12T19:18:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:33:01.635-08:00

Technically, Social Security disability is not "more than" Social Security retirement. However, that depends upon the age at which an individual takes their Social Security retirement benefit. Social Security disability benefits are equal to benefits for full retirement age retirees, which means an individual who takes their Social Security retirement any earlier than their full retirement age

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-44099953473510551332010-07-11T20:55:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:33:25.636-08:00

If an individual is receiving Social Security disability benefits only, there is no reason to worry about an inheritance. Social Security disability entitlement is based solely upon insured status, which means that if an individual is insured (through their work activity) for Social Security benefits, then resources (assets) and sources of income--other than wages--do not affect their entitlement

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-35379405933822175382010-07-08T07:51:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:33:47.918-08:00

In actuality, this is not the case. However, when you consider the fact that 60-70 percent of all new disability claims are denied, and the fact that more than 80 percent of all first appeals are denied, then it becomes easy enough to understand why people believe this to be the case. It becomes particularly difficult for people to understand the high rates of denial for SSD (social security

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-18243179084668914062010-07-05T10:06:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:34:10.761-08:00

A question from a forum that gets asked fairly often, but here's the answer: there is only one thing to do if you are turned down for disability. If you remain unable to work, you should file an appeal. To appeal a disability denial, you must complete your appeal paperwork and return it to your local Social Security office prior to the end of the appeal period. How long is the appeal period? The

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-35559382926811021402010-07-01T04:11:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:35:06.243-08:00

According to one physician quoted in the following article, medication by itself may not be enough for the proper treatment of fibromyalgia. This particular doctor is a rheumatologist and, as he puts it, though no one is really sure why it is that exercise seems to help with this condition, it nonetheless does, perhaps by prodding the body to produce a pain mollifying substance. A few stats and

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-15803130507850093412010-06-27T15:43:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:35:24.452-08:00

A recent discussion in a forum concerned how social security disability benefits are awarded. One participant wrote that eligibility is based on what you paid into the system. Another wrote that eligibility for SSD was based on the type of work that you did in the past. A third person wrote that it depended on what you made and what came out of your paycheck for fica. And a fourth stated that it

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-38690801505306410922010-06-25T08:58:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:35:48.098-08:00

Social Security disability eligibility depends on three things.The first thing that must be considered when determining eligibility for SSD is whether or not the disability claimant is insured for Social Security disability benefits in the first place. To be insured for SSD disability benefits, the disability claimant must have worked enough in the years prior to becoming disabled to be insured.

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-48943148436067859982010-06-22T06:58:00.000-07:002011-01-24T06:36:11.156-08:00

I recently came across a posting on another blog. The title of the post was "How to get updates on a Social Security Disability Case". The title seemed very familiar to me and when I read the blog post, I knew why. The post was "borrowed" from a page I had written years ago on disabilitysecrets.com---well, imitation may be flattery, but where does that leave the internet equivalent of stealing

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-87353123920436737462010-06-20T20:07:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:34:26.890-08:00

Here's a recent statement from someone who was obviously exasperated: "You have to appeal again and again before someone from SSD takes a look".Is this statement true? Not really. Many people who file for disability do find themselves in the position of having to appeal over and over. But "over and over" is a little subjective. This is how it works for most people. 1. They file for disability and

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-83148945480988130822010-06-17T10:44:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:34:44.022-08:00

Ok, there are lots of different ways in which to approach this question, but I think the easiest way is to approach it in "list" fashion. Basically, you don't want a disability lawyer (or non-attorney disability representative) who:1. Doesn't return your calls ever. Now, on this subject I will state that many disability representatives have very busy schedules, schedules that include daily

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-66094137414092649282010-06-15T18:28:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:35:00.132-08:00

The answer to this question is not a simple yes or no. It depends upon the type of pension the disability applicant is receiving. Most pensions do not offset an individual’s Social Security disability benefits. Individuals who are receiving a pension based upon earnings that were covered by Social Security taxes will not have any kind of offset of their Social Security disability benefits.

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-78759616061285891422010-06-09T06:42:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:35:16.317-08:00

I thought I'd post this because there often seems to be a certain amount of misunderstanding regarding how medical records are evaluated by the social security administration, i.e. who actually looks at your medical records when you have a claim for disability with SSA. In a prior post, I pointed out that social security looks at everything (every piece of medical evidence) that is gathered.

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-62690394691001149142010-06-07T21:11:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:35:43.786-08:00

Someone wrote and said that after one's medical records have been gathered...the trick is for social security to actually look at them. As a former examiner, I can definitively state that social security does look at everything they gather. In fact, disability examiners (the individuals who render decisions on claims at the disability application and reconsideration appeal levels) have a clear

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-9835645939095508572010-06-04T07:50:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:36:04.473-08:00

This question was recently asked on another site. One of the respondents on the site stated that social security will deny you even if you are at death's door. Is that true? Unfortunately, it sometimes is. As an examiner and in disability representation, I've seen numerous individuals die while their disability claim was still pending. In some instances, the individual had been "dealing with the

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-76628608205236242622010-05-31T11:01:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:36:47.864-08:00

This question was recently asked: "What Happens To Social Security Disability Benefits After Divorce?"Social Security disability benefits for a disabled individual will not change if they divorce their spouse. Social Security disability benefits are based upon an individual's work activity prior to becoming disabled and have nothing to do with their spouse. However, dependent eligibility will

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-69588243119740575272010-05-28T20:32:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:37:04.588-08:00

I recently read on Gordon Gates blog (if you live in maine or new hampshire, he is listed on the "representatives" link under the blogroll link) that the reconsideration appeal step is being reinstated in the 10 test states in which it was, for a time, eliminated. For those who are unaware of what "reconsideration is, the process in most of the country has always been as follows:1. Disability

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-68921484765337159222010-05-26T02:33:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:37:27.635-08:00

In general, most Social Security (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income disability applicants are contacted by the disability examiner responsible for making their medical disability decision. Of course, the reason is fairly plain. Disability decisions involve a lot more than just medical records; they include information from the disability applicant and certain third party contact persons as

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-66557793411908446332010-05-19T05:10:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:37:53.141-08:00

When you file for Social Security disability, Social Security uses a computation that considers your work years prior to becoming disabled in order to determine what your monthly Social Security disability benefit is. Since the monthly benefit amount is based upon the years you have worked and the amount of your earnings, it is understandable that monthly disability benefit amounts may vary

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-62947505639197656472010-05-15T11:50:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:38:35.249-08:00

In a medical sense, there is no minimum number of work credits needed to actually qualify to receive SSA disability benefits because the evaluation process for adults is based upon measuring an individual’s functional ability against the types of jobs they have done in the past, as well as the types of “other jobs” that Social Security considers they may be capable of performing. Having said that

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-73317475622721379062010-05-12T14:31:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:38:56.009-08:00

Work activity can cause an individual’s disability benefit to be suspended or even terminated. And the reinstatement of disability benefits for an individual who has had disability benefits in the past that were stopped due to work activity...may or may not be possible.The trial work periodAll disability beneficiaries are entitled to a nine month trial work period. Trial work period months do not

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-28806976345719132822010-05-09T17:34:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:39:19.668-08:00

When the time comes to stop working and retire, where will you go? A survey that came out a few months ago showed that America's retirees aren't sticking to the old standbys of Arizona (a bit hot--lately in more ways than one) and Florida (way too humid for me) for great climate and easy living, but are heading to new places across the country to enjoy their post-work lives. The number one spot

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-48163702622391355462010-05-08T08:47:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:39:39.225-08:00

Actually, it depends on both. With regard to "level of illness", social security isn't looking so much at the condition that has been diagnosed, but, instead, at the functional limitations that exist as a result of the condition (or conditions if the claimant has more than one problem). Functional limitations and having them documented in the claimant's medical evidence of record is very

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-68708436197850808282010-05-02T04:51:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:39:55.741-08:00

If you own some rental properties, the income you derive from them will not affect your disability check. Social Security excuses rental income if the disability applicant does not perform services to tenants other than routine maintenance of the rental property. Conversely, if you have some rental property that provides investment income to you, it is not considered to be self-employment or

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-86525428704602188102010-04-23T21:00:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:40:17.633-08:00

Someone recently indicated that they were filing for disability and had, several years ago, taken medications for depression. They had at a later point stopped taking these medications and were now seeking treatment again for depression. They were wondering if they should disclose on their disability application the fact that these meds were previously taken. Answer: It can't hurt. When social

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-72389353140814249692010-04-20T09:38:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:40:33.095-08:00

This is debatable, because at the first two levels of the social security disability and SSI disability system, things are stacked against claimants. This is clearly evident when you consider the fact that roughly seven out of ten initial disability claims are denied, yet for those individuals who decide to file appeals and eventually get in front of an administrative law judge at a disability

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-51620995469509618162010-04-17T19:23:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:40:47.628-08:00

Debt collectors have limits on what they can do that are established by law. That mere fact alone, however, does not stop them for doing what is unethical and illegal such as going after the money held in bank accounts by social security retirement and social security disability beneficiaries. Basically, when banks receive orders of garnishment, they put a freeze on the individual bank accounts.

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-7665680907847646952010-04-15T03:55:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:41:02.984-08:00

Ideally, your disability representative, who can be an attorney or a non-attorney representative, should get his or her hands on all the medical evidence that's available in order to help bolster your claim for social security disability or SSI. After all, disability claims are won on the basis of proving that a claimant has the sort of functional limitations (which can be mental or physical or

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-72369341790794685532010-04-06T19:39:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:41:21.259-08:00

Someone wrote and stated that, in their particular case, a request for a hearing had been filed nearly a year ago and that they had received a letter from social security stating that hearing requests take approximately fifteen and a half months.How long will it take to get your social security hearing scheduled after the request has been submitted? It depends on backlogs. And backlogs are

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-52871025329638609042010-04-04T03:58:00.000-07:002010-04-04T04:00:15.707-07:00

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-76125043424190894892010-04-01T21:50:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:41:58.874-08:00

I was speaking to someone I know who works as a field office CR, or claims rep. Claims reps--for those who are unaware--are the individuals who take in disability applications at social security offices and then transmit them to the state agency that actually does the medical evaluation of the claim (usually called DDS, or disability determination services, this is where the case is assigned to a

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17207396.post-50591747198668543832010-03-30T06:35:00.000-07:002011-01-24T07:42:19.247-08:00

My typical stock answer to this is to explain that a disability examiner will gather a claimant's medical records and then use this information to determine what the claimant's physical and/or mental limitations are. However, cutting to the chase, the answer can be stated a bit more simply. How does social security makes it decision? By determining whether or not the claimant can still work. In

Disability Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14890188944381642816noreply@blogger.com