COVID-19 Notice: Midwest Disability, PA is fully operational in accordance with safety regulations provided by the CDC and local health officials. Our attorneys continue to provide quality legal representation and are available to discuss your case over the phone or by e-mail.
As the COVID-19 pandemic enters into its second years, there are still many things that we don't understand about the virus.
One of those phenomenon is "long haulers." While most people who contract the virus make a full recovery after a few weeks, long haulers continue to suffer from debilitating symptoms, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and brain fog, for months after the initial infection.
It's a new year, but there's still no sign of Social Security reopening offices to in-person disability hearings anytime soon.
This is not the situation anyone expected when offices closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most attorneys and staff expected that we would be back to business as usual in a few weeks.
If you are suffering from an injury or medical condition that promises to leave you unable to work for at least one year, you likely struggled to figure out how you would make ends meet during that time. This may be especially stressful if your doctor expects your condition to be chronic or to get worse.
Like many in Minnesota who are in similar situations, you filled out an application for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration. To your shock, the SSA denied your request, leaving you wondering why and what your next step should be. You may be surprised to learn that the SSA denies about 70% of all first-time applicants for disability benefits. If you understand why, you may have more success when you appeal the SSA's decision.
Social Security disability recipients will see their smallest cost of living increase in four years come 2021.
One issue where I'm seeing more clients win cases lately is on the limitations they have using their hands.
People who have hearing loss often find that doing even basic tasks is difficult. The challenges that they experience will often become more pronounced as the hearing loss becomes greater. For some, this might lead to them having significant trouble earning a living.
It might surprise some people, however, to know that it is difficult to get Social Security Disability payments based on hearing loss unless your case meets very specific circumstances.
Disabilities come in many different forms. However, most disabled people share many of the same frustrations, emotions and experiences as a result of going through life with a disability. Therefore, it's possible that you, like many other people with a disability, experience feelings of shame. Sometimes the emotional burden of living with a disability can be as difficult to handle as the disability itself.
You may be unaware of exactly why you feel ashamed about your disability, but it is likely that it has arisen during many different experiences. It is important that you are able to identify which of your opinions are rooted in this shame and that you do not let these feelings prevent you from living your life fully. For example, many people find that the shame they experience hinders them from applying for disability benefits. The following is an overview of how you can potentially deal with feelings of shame so that you can overcome them.
You just had your Social Security Disability hearing before an administrative law judge so now what? The two most frequently asked questions people want to know post hearing are the following: 1) Do I have to do anything thing else or provide any additional information? And 2) How long will it take to get my decision? Regarding question number two, majority of cases are "taken under advisement" by judges after the hearing. If a case is taken under advisement this means that the judge will review the record (medical evidence, etc.) again as well as your testimony given at the hearing to make their decision. Once the judges have reviewed everything, they then send their decision and reasoning to a "decision writer." A decision writer's job is to write the lengthy legal decision regarding why someone is found disabled or not disabled. This process can take some time because not only are these decisions several pages long, but sometimes decision writers have other decisions to write first. Therefore, it generally takes around 60-90 days to get a decision in the mail if your case is taken under advisement. In rare cases, a judge may declare at the hearing that they will be finding an individual disabled and will be issuing a favorable decision. While this is good news because the individual knows they will be receiving a favorable decision, a judge still must send their decision and reasoning to a decision writer. Finally, in even rarer cases, a judge may find that a case is so clear that it should be granted and issue what is called a "bench decision." For a bench decision, the judge gives his reasons for granting the claim orally at the hearing. The written decision that follows within a few days is just a few paragraphs in length, and basically incorporates by reference the reasons given on the record at the hearing.
Contact us online or call our offices directly at 888-351-0427 for a free case evaluation. All cases are taken on contingency, meaning there are no fees until we recover benefits for you.
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In Minnesota, we handle Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims. Throughout the nation, we handle SSDI applications and appeals for people from Ohio to Kansas, North Dakota to Texas and everywhere in between.
Midwest Disability, P.A.
408 Northdale Boulevard Northwest
Coon Rapids,
MN
55448
Coon Rapids Law Office Map
