SSD – Social Security Disability

There are certain circumstances that are outlined which result in an award of disability. One is if you are over the age of 55, have no more than an 11th grade education, and no work arising to substantial gainful activity in the previous 15 years, and have at least...

Every year, thousands of people suffer unfortunate and disabling injuries that prevent them from working and earning a living for themselves and their families. For those who face this scenario, getting Social Security Disability Insurance benefits is of the utmost...

It can take up to two years from the time you file an application for disability to the time when you appear before an Administrative Law Judge at your hearing. Unfortunately, some claimants will pass away before they attend their hearing. So, what happens then? When...

Currently, 38 states allow the use of medical marijuana while 21 have legalized recreational use. Despite the growing acceptance at the state level, marijuana use and possession remains illegal under federal law, complicating how Social Security views cases involving...

Often, I speak with clients who after applying for disability have returned to work and insist that they’re done with their claim, there’s no way they’ll be approved, and they just want to withdraw their application. While withdrawing an application can be the right...

Most everyone has experienced neck pain at some point in their lives. Most of the time, neck pain is not acute and may not impact an individual’s ability to perform job duties. But if the neck pain becomes so bad that the individual is unable to work for an extended...

Pets can often be of great service to disabled individuals. Some pets are designated as service animals to detect onset of seizures for people with epilepsy or assist the deaf and blind in navigating a hearing and seeing world. Others can relieve stress and anxiety or...

The medicalization of transgender identity has long been a controversial topic, in part due to concerns about further stigmatization of a marginalized group. In 2013, the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) was updated to drop...

So, you’re not working now. You filed for disability. You got a million forms to fill out and just don’t have the energy to fill them out. STOP. BREATHE. MAKE THE TIME. ASK FOR HELP. Social Security sends a few types of forms to you to complete during this process....

We are only paid a fee if we win your case! Our fee is set by the federal government, and it is currently 25% of any past due benefits OR $7,200, whichever is less.  Meaning, if you are owed $20,000 in backpay, our fee would be $5,000.  If you are owed anything over...

The Social Security disability system can be extremely confusing to navigate. The day the decision from an administrative law judge finally arrives, most claimants see a decision that’s labeled “favorable” or “unfavorable” at the top of the first page. But there is a...

As the federal government continues to loosen restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, in-person hearings can now be scheduled much more quickly than even just last year. But is an in-person hearing right for you? There’s still several things to consider before...

Even though they are both programs administered by the Federal government, Social Security Disability and Veteran’s Benefits have their own rules, criteria for being found disabled, and definitions. Social Security disability pays individuals who are unable to work...

Social Security will consider how your disabilities affect your daily life. After you apply for disability, Social Security will send you a Function Report (Form SSA-3373) to collect information about your ability to perform activities of daily living, such as...

If you are one of the millions of people in the United States who are unable to work, you no doubt understand the economic difficulties that typically accompany such circumstances. Not only in Minnesota, but from coast to coast, as well, there are people who would...