Medications an applicant is taking often have a less direct, yet still important impact on a claim. When preparing for a hearing, Disability attorneys want to know which medications their client has been taking; Ibuprofen to Oxycontin and everything in between. Social Security is interested in knowing what steps the claimant has taken to improve […]
One of the questions I ask clients when I first speak to them is whether they are seeing doctors. If they are, great! If not, I tell them to start seeing doctors for their disability as soon as possible. The reason is simple: One of the main elements Social Security looks at when determining a […]
One of the first concepts they teach you in law school is that there are rarely simple, straight forward answers in law and the answer to most questions is “it depends”. Social Security Disability is no different. Clients want to know (very understandably) how much money they will receive each month after they are approved. […]
When you we think of disability, we tend to think of an elderly person barely able to walk if at all. The fact of the matter is there are so many different disabilities that affect younger people as well. It could be physical or mental, but disability affects all walks of life. In fact, an […]
Since you’ve found yourself reading this blog, odds are you may be interested in finding an attorney to represent you in a Social Security Disability claim. You’ve also probably noticed there is no shortage of attorneys who are available to handle your disability claim. A quick Google search will bring up literally dozens of attorneys […]
After a long two year battle with Social Security, you finally receive your first Disability check. Then about a year later, you get a letter saying you have been cut off. Can this really happen? Well, yes and no. Unfortunately, receiving a favorable claim does not mean you will 100% receive benefits for the rest […]
The common definition of Social Security Disability you hear is saying that you are too disabled to work. However, a more accurate definition could be saying that you are too disabled to do significant work. Every year, Social Security sets a specific amount that they call Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). If you are making more […]
Sometimes when you’re applying for Social Security Disability (or any government benefit for that matter) it is very easy to feel like just a number. One Social Security employee tells you one thing, then another tells you something else. Dealing with a massive agency like this often leads to feelings of hopelessness and wondering why […]
I have spoken to many clients who call me very concerned about a letter they got from Social Security. The letter is telling them Social Security set up an appointment for them to see a doctor. Unfortunately, claimants often have a serious mistrust of Social Security and the Disability process so they do not know […]
For those people filing for disability due to mental impairments, a common phrase they may hear is “GAF score”. So what is a GAF score and what is it used for? GAF stands for Global Assessment of Functioning and a GAF score is a way for therapists to characterize a person’s general functioning in life. […]