Social Security Blog

What Disability Cases Get Approved?

Published on 2012-02-11 12:59:00

In a previous blog post, I had mentioned that the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies the majority of Social Security disability benefits claims, whether SSDI or SSI. What was not mentioned was what types of claims are approved.In 2009, SSA approved 846,290 disability applications. Approximately 37% of those applications either met or equaled one of the government's Listing of Impairments. In other words, the claimant had a particular medical condition so severe that it warranted disab

Should I Appeal My Disability Benefits Approval?

Published on 2012-02-07 19:32:00

Less than 7% of those applying for Social Security disability benefits, whether SSDI or SSI, whose case is at the reconsideration level are approved. If you are one of the few whose case is approved at that level, you may find yourself in a position where you are not satisfied with the back benefits awarded to you. Disagreeing with the Social Security Administration's decision, you may think about appealing. BE CAREFUL!It is not always a good idea to appeal a reconsideration approval. In som

Disability Hearings: What Does In Writing Mean?

Published on 2012-02-04 16:37:00

You waited for years to finally have your Social Security disability hearing and at the end of the court appearance the judge may have told you, "I will review the file and you will receive my decision in the mail." Sometimes, a judge may even say "you can expect my decision in the mail in 3-4 weeks." Unfortunately, more often than not claimants wait for months before they receive a decision in the mail.Waiting for a judge's disability decision can be extremely nerve wracking. A common questio

Best January Social Security Disability Blogs

Published on 2012-02-04 11:58:00

For January's "Best Social Security Disability Blogs" of the month, we listed our top 5 blogs by Social Security disability lawyers nationwide:SSDI Illnesses In The News: Multiple Sclerosis And Gilenya -Sacramento Milam Law Firm on their MILAM Social Security Disability BlogPost Hearing Argument Or Brief -Maine lawyer Gordon Gates on Social Security Disability Lawyer BlogDebunking Common Social Security Disability Myths -Ohio Law Firm Gallon Takacs Boissoneault & Schaffer on Social Security Blog

New Form 1695 SSA Procedure

Published on 2012-02-04 11:33:00

The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced on January 30th, 2012 that it would change its internal procedures for handling non-attorney and Social Security disability attorney 1695 forms. Processing of 1695 forms in conjunction with the Appointment of Representative and Fee Agreement documents insures that a representative is recognized by SSA for a particular claim and will be paid attorney's fees along with it if the case is approved and back benefits awarded. The problem that disabi

Autonomic Neuropathy and Disability Benefits

Published on 2012-02-02 19:46:00

Autonomic neuropathy is a group of different symptoms occurring when there is damage to the nervous system. More specifically, autonomic neuropathy makes it very difficult for the body to manage day to day bodily functions. It is not uncommon for someone suffering from autonomic neuropathy to have digestive problems, uncontrollable hypertension, or heart problems. For this reason, it can often take many years to be correctly diagnosed by a doctor, such as a neurologist.People applying for Soci

Disability Benefits: Easy?

Published on 2012-01-30 19:56:00

Several claimants at a hearing office today were commenting how easy it was to get Social Security disability benefits. They had mentioned that they each knew of several friends and family members that were able to win disability benefits right away.For those of you who share their opinion, I would like to share some statistics published annually by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The statistics can be found here.Below are some of the approval rates at the beginning levels of the Socia

Confusing Social Security Disability Denials

Published on 2012-01-22 19:10:00

The overwhelming majority of applicants applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are denied benefits. In some cases, it is not in the best interest of the claimant to appeal the claim. Yet, the majority of the time claimants should follow through with an appeal. An appeal keeps the claim alive and pushes the case through the disability process. Almost all denial letters note that the claimant has 60 days to file an appeal. However, some

Unemployment And Social Security Disability Claims

Published on 2012-01-21 09:22:00

Can I Get Unemployment Benefits While I Am Trying To Get Disability?The question above has been more mainstream these days, with the economy struggling and people finding it difficult to obtain gainful employment. It has become so mainstream that The Wall Street Journal recently published an article on the issue stating, "The higher unemployment rate this year accounts for 3,000 additional people applying for benefits(disability) each week." The article went on to explain that "people have been

Best December Social Security Disability Blogs

Published on 2012-01-09 08:18:00

For December's "Best Social Security Disability Blogs" of the month, we listed our top 5 blogs by Social Security disability lawyers nationwide:Social Security Disability System Faces Independent Review In 2012 -North Carolina lawyer Hardison on his Hardison & Cochran BlogThe Second Time Around -Maine lawyer Gordon Gates on Social Security Disability Lawyer BlogAsperger's Syndrome And Filing An Indiana Social Security Disability Claim -Indiana lawyer Scott Lewis on Indiana Social Security Disabi