If you are applying for Disability Insurance benefits (DIB or SSDI) under Title II and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) under Title 16 of the Social Security Disability Act, you quickly realize that this government program cannot provide the swift help…
I recently had the unique opportunity of dining with a group of women from the U.S. Armed Services who proudly served our country. As with female and male veterans whom I have assisted with social security disability claims over the…
In recent years, social security disability attorneys have been dismayed by the social security disability program being under attack. Led by Oklahoma Senator Tom Colburn, media sources such as 60 minutes and PBS have circulated biased accounts of fraudulent Supplemental…
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia is the type of medical condition that has been misunderstood by some Adjudicators at Disability Adjudication Services (DAS), as well as Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). Thankfully, there is Social…
Effective April 20, 2013, to the relief of Attorneys/Representatives and some Administrative Law Judges (ALJs), the Office of Adjudication and Review (ODAR), will once again disclose the names of the Judges when hearing notices are mailed. Please see my prior…
1. Nicole, a 28 year old female, was a refugee from New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina. Growing up with severe Crohn’s disease, Nicole had much of her small intestines removed at 9 years of age. Nicole’s mother was a drug…
There are four steps to evaluating whether your child is entitled to SSI child disability benefits. 1.Is your child working at the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level? Please see my blog dated September 18, 2010, www.kathleenflynnlaw.com for a more detailed…
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has begun effectuating its policy of concealing the name of the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) from the attorney and the claimant until they enter the hearing room. According to the National Association of Social Security…
As mentioned in my previous blog dated September 12, 2010, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Compassionate Allowances program moves the cases of claimants with specific medical conditions, classified as “the most serious disabilities” by SSA, faster. According to SSA, these…
Great news as the holidays approach! Beginning in January 2012, anyone receiving disability benefits will get a cost of living increase (COLA) of 3.6 percent. Thus, those who were found disabled by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and those who…
In the past, whenever one of our clients received an unfavorable decision at a hearing by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), the Law Office of Kathleen Flynn would appeal the claim to the Appeals Council (AC), as well as file…
Your medical records are the most important evidence considered by the Social Security Administration.(SSA) in evaluating your social security disability case. In order to be found disabled, you must have a “severe medically determinable impairment (s)”, ie mental or physical…
If you are 18 years old or older, there are five basic steps of a sequential evaluation process that the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers to decide if you are disabled. 1. Are you engaging in substantial gainful activity? Please…
After losing a job due to a disability, many people apply for and receive state unemployment compensation benefits. Unemployment compensation benefits provide temporary income to unemployed workers. In order to receive weekly unemployment compensation benefits, one must affirm, to the…
When you apply for social security disability, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may arrange an appointment with a Consultative Examiner (CE). A consultative examiner is a physician, a licensed psychologist or a psychiatrist who has a contract with SSA to…
The first question that the Social Security Administration (SSA) asks in order to determine your eligibility for disability is: Are you engaging in substantial GAINFUL activity (SGA)? By applying for social security disability with SSA, a person claims that he…
The Social Security Administration (SSA) classifies certain cases as compassionate allowances. Compassionate allowances have special electronic processing procedures for speedy favorable decisions. SSA’s compassionate allowance list includes very serious medical conditions that clearly meet social security disability standards. Compassionate allowances…
Arthritis is an acute or chronic inflammation of a joint with various causes such as infection, crystal deposition, or injury. There are over 100 different types of arthritis. The most common types of arthritis are: • Osteoarthritis-also known as degenerative…