Tag Archives: SLC
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, applicants for Social Security Disability Benefits (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will go to a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). You need to know… 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 »
BACK PAIN AND DISABILITY BENEFITS – LISTING 1.15
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR BACK CONDITIONS Do you have back pain that prevent you from working? To qualify for Social Security Disability benefits and SSI benefits, the SSA requires you to have a “medically determinable” impairment that lasts for at least one year. This means that MRI’s, CT scans, or x-rays, should show… Read More »
FIBROMYALGIA AND DISABILITY BENEFITS
DISABILITY BENEFITS AND FIBROMYALGIA Fibromyalgia is a medical condition that the Social Security Administration recognizes for purposes of disability benefits. You can obtain Social Security disability benefits from the SSA if you have Fibromyalgia and are unable to work. However, you must show that you have a medically determinable impairment. Likewise, you must prove… Read More »
WHAT QUESTIONS WILL THE JUDGE ASK AT MY DISABILITY HEARING?
Are you wondering what questions the disability judge will ask at your SSA hearing? Don’t worry, an SSA hearing is nothing like an impeachment hearing. You are the main witness, but you will not be grilled with questions like they do to witnesses on television. SSA hearings are informal. They are also private, which… Read More »
MENTAL IMPAIRMENTS THE JUDGE MUST CONSIDER
HOW DOES THE JUDGE RATE MENTAL CONDITIONS AT DISABILITY HEARINGS? Mental Impairments are crucial to determining disability. At disability hearings, the ALJ must weigh the medical evidence. By “weigh” the evidence, he or she must determine which evidence to give the most credence too. For example, most SSA files contain evidence from the claimant’s… Read More »
OBESITY & DISABILITY SOCIAL SECURITY RULING 19-2P
OBESITY & WINNING DISABILITY BENEFITS SOCIAL SECURITY RULING 19-2P Obesity is a disability that can prevent you from working. If you are off work for more than 12 months, then you can apply for disability benefits. Over the years, the SSA’s rules regarding obesity have changed multiple times. For example, in the past, one… Read More »
THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDICAL RECORDS IN YOUR DISABILITY CASE
THE SSA NEEDS MEDICAL RECORDS AT EVERY LEVEL OF THE DISABILITY CASE It is paramount that you understand the importance of collecting all of your medical records when you apply for disability benefits. You can apply for disability benefits online at the Social Security’s website. When you first apply for benefits, you should include… Read More »
BLACK LUNG DISABILITY BENEFITS
BLACK LUNG DISEASE If you have black lung disease or Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis, you may be eligible for disability benefits under the federal Black Lung program. Black lung disease is observable on chest x-ray and CT scans. If you have black lung disease, then your chest x-ray or CT scan will show pulmonary nodules… Read More »
SSA USES SIX DOMAINS TO DESCRIBE CHILDHOOD DISABILITY
WHAT ARE THE SIX CHILDHOOD DISABILITY DOMAINS ? In order to win SSI or childhood disability benefits, you must be familiar with the six domains the SSA uses to describe childhood impairments. The six domains are listed below. If your child’s disability does not meet a listing, then you can turn to the domains… Read More »
NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS DISABILITY MAY NOT BE A BARRIER TO WORK
IS DISABILITY A BARRIER TO WORK? On September 5, 2019, the New York Times published Ben Casselman’s article about disability and work. Casselman wrote, employers like Dell, started a program to hire people with autism. Kate Cosway, who has a master’s degree, was chosen by Dell for a 12-week internship, which is now becoming… Read More »
WHAT IS A TRIAL WORK PERIOD?
YOU WON SSD BENEFITS AND WANT TO TRY GOING BACK TO WORK. CAN YOU? Do you know what a “trial work period” is? Let’s talk about the typical scenario for a trial work period. You won disability benefits and one year has gone by. Perhaps you had surgery and are feeling better. Maybe you… Read More »
The 5 Day Rule – Evidence Submission in Disability Hearings
5 DAY EVIDENCE SUBMISSION RULE There is a new rule that requires all evidence be into the judge 5 days before a claimant’s hearing. Even though Social Security Disability hearings are administrative and the normal rules of evidence do not apply, there are still rules that everyone must follow. After May 1, 2017, the… Read More »
CAN YOU RETIRE EARLY AND COLLECT DISABILITY BENEFITS?
SHOULD YOU RETIRE EARLY OR COLLECT DISABILITY BENEFITS? Should you retire early or seek disability benefits? You cannot do both. Many people who can no longer work due to disability, experience confusion about whether to retire early or to apply for disability benefits. What option you chose can have serious consequences for your income… Read More »
HOW TO APPEAL A DENIAL OF DISABILITY FROM THE SSA
Are you wondering how to appeal a denial from the SSA? Is this what happened? You applied for benefits and you received your first 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 your case. You have… Read More »
DISABILITY BENEFITS: SSI OR SSD?
SHOULD YOU APPLY FOR SSD OR SSI DISABILITY BENEFITS? Social Security Disability benefits are monthly payments that support individuals who cannot work a full-time job and have a disability. There are two different SSA programs that pay disability benefits. Those programs are Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Although both programs… Read More »
NOSSCR States Budget Will Not Solve Backlog
NOSSCR released this article today, indicating that even with the level of funding Obama has requested in his budget, the wait time for a hearing is going to increase for those who have applied for disability benefits. For more information – read NOSSCR’s article below. President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2017 budget proposal on… Read More »
