Author Archives: cannondlaw
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND WINNING DISABILITY BENEFITS
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IS A DISABILITY UNDER SSA’S RULES Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune disease that affects the central nervous system. When an individual suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, the disease damages the covers of the nerve cells in the brain. It also damages nerve cells in the spinal cord and optic nerves. This nerve… Read More »
WHAT QUESTIONS WILL THE JUDGE ASK AT MY DISABILITY HEARING?
Are you wondering what questions the judge will ask at your SSA hearing? Don’t worry, an SSA hearing is nothing like a criminal hearing. You are the main witness. But, you will not be grilled with questions like they do to witnesses on television. Also, the judge is not out to trick you with… Read More »
SSA’S INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY LISTING
WHAT IS INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY? Intellectual disability (ID) is a term that is used to describe a person who has limits in their mental ability and in their communication skills, self care skills, and social skills. Children with ID take longer to learn to speak, walk, and take care of themselves. They have trouble learning in… Read More »
ARE YOU UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE SSA?
HOW DOES AN SSA INVESTIGATION START? How do you know if the SSA is investigating you? Most people who need SSD and SSI benefits are not aware the Social Security Administration can investigate you. However, the SSA does investigate people who apply for benefits. Therefore, you need to know that if you file for… Read More »
WHY DOES SSA KEEP DENYING MY CASE?
WHY ISN’T THE SSA GRANTING YOUR BENEFITS? At Cannon Disability Law, we hear a version of this question every day. People look at their neighbors and believe they should not be getting SSDI and SSI benefits. Also, people compare themselves to others and think their illness is worse. Therefore, they believe they should get benefits… Read More »
CONSULTATIVE EXAM TIPS – Medical Evidence Wins Your Benefits
WHAT IS A CONSULTATIVE EXAM? After you apply for Social Security Disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income benefits, you may receive a notice in the mail. This notice schedules you for a Consultative Exam. The SSA usually schedules an exam with one of their doctors during the first six months of the appeals process…. Read More »
HOW TO FILE A REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION
DID THE SSA DENY YOUR APPLICATION FOR SSDI & SSI BENEFITS? Request reconsideration online at the SSA’s website if the SSA denied your application for SSD benefits. Don’t wait to appeal your SSI or SSDI initial denial. You can file your appeal online. You don’t have to fill out forms by hand or go… Read More »
THE BURDEN TO PROVE DISABILITY IS ON YOU
YOU HAVE THE BURDEN TO PROVE DISABILITY AT YOUR SSA HEARING Most people think it is easy to prove disability to the SSA. Those who apply for benefits think they will win at their hearing, if they simply explain their disabling symptoms to the Judge. But the SSA system doesn’t work like that. The… Read More »
CAN SOCIAL SECURITY TAKE AWAY YOUR BENEFITS?
Can Social Security cease or take away your disability benefits? This is one of the most common questions we hear at Cannon Disability Law. And the short answer is “yes.” Even if you win benefits, the SSA can cease or take away your benefits. This is true whether you receive SSDI or SSI benefits…. Read More »
BLINDNESS AND EARNING WORK CREDITS FOR SSD BENEFITS
SSDI and SSI benefits for the blind are available under SSA’s laws. In order to qualify for Social Security benefits due to blindness, you will need to provide evidence that shows you meet the visual listings. The visual listings for blindness include people who have been blind since birth. Learn more here about SSD… Read More »
HOW TO FILL OUT ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING FORM
Are you wondering how to fill out the SSA’s “Activities of Daily Living Form?” Every person who files an application for SSDI or SSI benefits has to fill out the form. The ADL form is not a questionnaire about your past accomplishments. It is not a resume or a chance for you to tell the SSA how you used to do things. Instead, the activities of daily living form is about the problems you face every day due to your medical condition. The form should tell the SSA that you can no longer cook, clean, or do the laundry without help. If you don’t write about your limitations, then the SSA will use your answers to prove that you can work.
REVERSE DIABETES THROUGH DIET & EXERCISE
CAN DIABETES TYPE 2 BE REVERSED? Diabetes is Type 2 is the most common form of the three types of Diabetes. It is also known as adult onset diabetes. This condition can be genetic. However, it is usually brought on by an poor lifestyle choices. For example, if you are overweight, don’t exercise, and… Read More »
EATING DISORDERS & ANOREXIA CAN BE DISABLING
Eating disorders qualify for SSD and SSI benefits, if they keep you from working for over one year. You must have medical evidence to present to the SSA about your condition. This medical evidence should be from your treating doctor. It should discuss how your symptoms result in disability.
COLLECT YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS FOR YOUR DISABILITY CASE
CAN YOU COLLECT YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS? Collect your medical records, as they are crucial to winning SSD benefits. After you apply for SSD benefits, you must collect your medical records for your Social Security case. You need to do this whether you apply for SSD, SSI, or both benefits. The reason you need to… Read More »
HOW FREE MEDICAL RECORDS HELP YOU WIN DISABILITY BENEFITS
YOU MUST HAVE MEDICAL RECORDS TO WIN YOUR SSD BENEFITS If you are like most people who apply for SSDI and SSI benefits, then you need free medical records in order to win your case. You need free records, because it usually costs money to get a copy of your records. And, you don’t… Read More »
THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDICAL RECORDS IN YOUR DISABILITY CASE
THE SSA NEEDS MEDICAL RECORDS AT EVERY LEVEL OF YOUR SSD CASE You must understand the importance of collecting your medical records when you file for SSD benefits. You can apply for SSD and SSI benefits online at the Social Security’s website. When you first apply for benefits, you should include a copy of… Read More »
TIPS TO WIN FIBROMYALGIA DISABILITY BENEFITS
HOW TO APPLY FOR SSD & SSI BENEFITS FOR FIBROMYALGIA Fibromyalgia benefits are available from the SSA, if you cannot work for more than 12 months. If you suffer from fibromyalgia and can’t work, then you should apply for SSD benefits. You can apply for SSD & SSI benefits on the Social Security website…. Read More »
APPLYING FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS
FILING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS Applying for disability, or SSD and SSI benefits, can be stressful because you may not know what you need to do. Likewise, you may not know what questions the SSA will ask you when you apply. The most important thing you can do is begin your application. You can… Read More »
HOW TO APPEAL A DENIAL OF DISABILITY FROM THE SSA
APPEAL YOUR SSA DENIAL Are you wondering how to appeal a denial from the SSA? Is this what happened? You applied for benefits and you received a denial of your application in the mail. Now, you are wondering how to appeal. The first thing to realize is that you should not give up. You… Read More »
WORST MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE AT DISABILITY HEARING
DON’T MAKE THIS BIG MISTAKE It can take years to finally get a hearing with a judge from the SSA. From the date of filing an application for benefits to the date of your hearing can be a wait, on average of two years. You would think that after waiting two years to go… Read More »
DEPRESSION CAN QUALIFY YOUR FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS
DEPRESSION CAN QUALIFY YOU FOR SSD BENEFITS If you have depression, you need to know if you qualify for SSD benefits. If you have been off work for over 12 months or you think you will be, then should you apply for SSD and SSI benefits? Depression is a common mental ailment that most… Read More »
FIBROMYALGIA AND DISABILITY BENEFITS
SSD BENEFITS AND FIBROMYALGIA Fibromyalgia is a medical condition that the Social Security Administration recognizes for purposes of paying monthly benefits. You can obtain Social Security benefits from the SSA if you have fibromyalgia and are unable to work. However, you must show that your illness meets certain rules and will last longer than… Read More »
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS – WHEN TO FILE
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY AND SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME BENEFITS Many people contact our office asking whether they should file an application for Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income. Typically, they wonder if they will qualify for benefits. But they also wonder if they should wait to file for benefits. After all, many people are… Read More »
OBESITY & DISABILITY SOCIAL SECURITY RULING 19-2P
Obesity is a medical condition that can prevent you from working. If you are off work for more than 12 months, then you can apply for SSD benefits. However, the SSA eliminated the listing for obesity, which means you cannot meet a listing for obesity. Instead, obesity needs to combine with another medical impairment to prevent you from working. If you can prove that your symptoms of obesity and another medical condition disable you, then you can win SSD and SSI benefits. Hire an experience law firm, like Cannon Disability Law, to help you win your Social Security benefits.
When the SSA took obesity out of the listing, they thought the change would produce financial savings.
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR RETROACTIVE SSD BENEFITS?
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF DISABILITY BENEFITS – SSD & SSI BENEFITS Retroactive SSD benefits may be available to you. However, it depends on what kind of benefits you are seeking. There are two kinds of Social Security benefits that one can apply for. The first benefit is Social Security Disability or Title II…. Read More »
OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS Breast Cancer awareness is important in order to cure the disease. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. We think it is important to raise awareness about this type of cancer because knowledge saves lives. In the U.S., almost 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer. Statistics indicate that in… Read More »
HOW TO APPLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS
APPLY NOW FOR SSD BENEFITS If you are wondering how to apply for Social Security Disability benefits, then you have come to the right place. Filing for Social Security Disability benefits has never been easier. The SSA has multiple ways for people who cannot work due to a severe medical condition to file an… Read More »
HOW TO APPLY FOR SSD BENEFITS
HOW TO FILE FOR SSD BENEFITS ONLINE Do you know how to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits? Are you wondering what is the best way to apply? If so, we have some answers. If you have access to the internet, then you should apply online at Social Security’s website. It is… Read More »
REOPEN YOUR PRIOR APPLICATION & GET ALL OF YOUR DISABILITY BENEFITS
CAN YOU REOPEN A PRIOR APPLICATION? Reopening a prior application is sometimes possible in SSDI cases. It is not easy to reopen a prior application. However, if you let an old application lapse and did not appeal it within the proper time frame, then you may be able to reopen it. There are limits… Read More »
CAN YOU RETIRE EARLY AND COLLECT SSD BENEFITS?
SHOULD YOU RETIRE EARLY OR COLLECT SSD BENEFITS? Should you retire early or seek SSDI benefits? You cannot do both. Many people who can no longer work due to medical conditions experience confusion about whether to retire early or file for SSD benefits. What option you chose can have serious consequences for your income… Read More »
THE 5 DAY RULE – Evidence Submission in Disability Hearings
5 DAY EVIDENCE SUBMISSION RULE There is a rule that requires all evidence be into the judge 5 days before the Social Security hearing. Even though the Social Security hearings are legally binding, the normal rules of evidence do not apply. However, there are still rules that everyone must follow. In 2017, the SSA issued… Read More »
MARFAN SYNDROME AND SSD BENEFITS
WHAT IS MARFAN SYNDROME? Marfan syndrome is a genetic connective tissue disorder that can cause severe physical issues. For example, the condition affects multiple body systems, including the skeleton, eyes, heart, blood vessels, nervous system, skin, and lungs. If your symptoms are severe and prevent you from working, then you can obtain SSDI and SSI… Read More »
YOUR HEARING IS SCHEDULED: WHAT NOW?
Your hearing may be one of the most important events that you experience in the Social Security process of winning SSDI and SSI benefits. In most cases, people who apply for Social Security Disability Benefits (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will go to a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). You need… Read More »
THE APPEALS COUNCIL DENIES MORE THAN 80% OF APPEALS
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO APPEAL IF THE JUDGE DENIES YOUR CASE AT A HEARING If you lose your case at an ALJ hearing, then you have the right to appeal your case to the Appeals Council. An appeal must be written within 60 days of the date of the ALJ’s decision. The Appeals Council… Read More »
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER WINS SSD BENEFITS
WHAT IS POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. PTSD can occur in response to a wide range of traumatic experiences. For example, it can occur due combat, sexual or physical assault, natural disasters, accidents,… Read More »
IDEA Gives Disabled Children the Right to a Good Education
WHAT IS THE IDEA? The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a United States federal law that governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities. The IDEA was enacted in 1975 as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA). However, it was… Read More »
DIABETES TYPE 1 & CHILDHOOD DISABILITY
WHAT IS DIABETES TYPE 1? Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Type 1 is a chronic autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. This leads to a lack of insulin in the body, which is necessary to control blood glucose levels. Type 1 Diabetes is… Read More »
OVER 50? The “GRID” Rules Help Older Workers Win Disability Benefits
OLDER WORKERS CAN WIN SSDI BENEFITS Older workers have a better chance of winning benefits because of the way Social Security law works. The SSA knows that it is difficult for older workers to change jobs and to be hired. Employers don’t always want to hire older workers. They usually have to pay an… Read More »
DISABLED? CAN YOU GET FORGIVENESS OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT?
STUDENT LOAN DEBT AND DISABILITY Student loan debt is almost impossible to pay if you have a disability that keeps you from working. In fact, it is a huge problem to pay any bills when you cannot work due to a severe mental or physical medical condition. Probably, you are going to want to… Read More »
THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS
THE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY PROGRAM IS GROWING The Social Security Disability program has seen significant growth in both costs and the number of beneficiaries in the last 25 years. Since 1990, the age of the working population being paid disability benefits has more than doubled—from about 1 in 40 individuals to about 1 in… Read More »
DISABLED VETERANS QUALIFY FOR SSA EXPEDITED REVIEW
Did you know that Veterans who are 100% service-connected qualify for expedited review with the Social Security Administration? This means that if you apply for Social Security Disability, you may not have to wait so long for a decision. Because you are a Veteran, the SSA is giving your case faster processing. However, you… Read More »
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS
Neurological disorders can result in winning SSD benefits if they prevent you from working for at least 12 months. In order to win SSD and SSI benefits, your neurological condition must meet certain rules called the SSA listing. The “listing” is a long list of severe physical and mental conditions that the SSA agrees… Read More »
APPLY FOR SSD BENEFITS WITH CANNON DISABILITY
IF YOU HAVE MENTAL IMPAIRMENTS SEEK HELP TO APPLY FOR SSD BENEFITS Apply for SSD benefits with our law firm, Cannon Disability Law. We understand you need to apply for benefits. But, the SSA’s application process is difficult to understand on your own. The SSA requires you to complete an application form, submit medical… Read More »
How Much Money Is My Monthly Disability Benefit?
FILING FOR SSD & SSI DISABILITY BENEFITS A monthly disability benefits is available if you cannot work for 12 months or longer. Disability benefits replace your income and Cannon Disability Law can help. Under Social Security rules, if you are unable to work a full-time job because of a physical or mental impairment, then… Read More »
WHAT WILL THE JUDGE ASK AT MY ALJ HEARING?
HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ALJ HEARING Be prepared for your ALJ hearing. You should hire an attorney to help you be a good witness. You need to think about the answers to some basic questions before you arrive. The hearing is being held to determine not only if you… Read More »
Dianna Cannon, J.D. – Social Security Disability Attorney – Featured in Attorney at Law Magazine 2018
DIANNA CANNON, SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY ATTORNEY Featured in Attorney at Law Magazine, Dianna Cannon has been practicing Social Security Disability Law for more than 30 years. “I help people get their Social Security Disability benefits,” she explains. “I handle Veteran’s Disability cases and Black Lung Disability claims as well. But mostly, I handle Social Security… Read More »
CEREBRAL PALSY DENIAL
CEREBRAL PALSY & THE UNFAIR DENIAL Cerebral Palsy is a disability under SSA’s regulations, as long as the medical condition prevents you from working. Recently, an ALJ denied a claimant with Cerebral Palsy. He did this even though Social Security’s own doctors opined she could not work. The claimant filed for disability benefits stating… Read More »
Check Your Earnings To Protect Your Future
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS AND RETIREMENT The monthly amount of your Social Security Disability benefits and your future retirement benefits is based upon your earnings. You are responsible to check your earnings statement every year. Therefore, you must check your earnings to make sure they are properly reported to the SSA and IRS. When… Read More »
RETIREMENT BENEFITS & SSD
WHAT ARE RETIREMENT BENEFITS? Retirement benefits are monthly payments from Social Security. These benefits replace a percentage of your pre-retirement income based on your lifetime earnings. The portion of your pre-retirement wages that Social Security replaces is based on your highest 35 years of earnings. This amount varies depending on how much you earn. The… Read More »
BANKRUPTCY COURT TO HEAR SSA OVERPAYMENT CASE
BANKRUPTCY COURT HAS JURISDICTION TO HEAR OVERPAYMENT CASE Overpayment cases are not normally heard by any judges outside of the Social Security Administration. However, the 5th Circuit, in Benjamin v. United States of America, (5th Circuit 07/26/2019), has ruled that the Bankruptcy Court has jurisdiction to hear a representative payee’s overpayment case. Benjamin, the plaintiff was… Read More »
