SSD – Uncategorized

As many people will tell you, even if you have a great disability case, thousands of pages of medical records, and even go through a hearing that seems to go well, sometimes you still get denied. In many cases, even we attorneys aren’t entirely sure why claimants who...

In March, the Social Security Administration announced that it was reinstating an old rule that allows it to withhold 100 percent of a claimant’s disability benefits in the event of an overpayment. The policy change, instituted under the advice of the Department of...

In March, the Social Security Administration, at the behest of the Trump administration, announced sweeping changes that would have made it much more difficult to apply for disability benefits. Thankfully, after a groundswell of opposition from disability attorneys...

One of the most frustrating parts of the disability system is overpayments. Once approved for disability, Social Security can find they’ve overpaid you for any number of reasons. There could have been a miscalculation of assets for SSI, or a misunderstanding about...

While it received virtually no attention in the mainstream media, the Trump administration announced last month that it beliefs it can fire administrative law judges who hear Social Security disability cases at will. “Today the Department of Justice determined that...

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has announced some of its plans to reform the Social Security Administration. And while there are no plans to cut benefits to retired or disabled Americans, cuts to the agency’s workforce, and changes to the way it...

When disability claimants are approved and receive a Notice of Award explaining their benefits, many are surprised to find out that for the first five months they’re disabled, they don’t actually receive any backpay. In cases when a disability application is quickly...

Since President Trump returned to office last month, there has been quite a bit of speculation and misinformation about what policies he might institute that would affect Social Security disability. So far, nothing has changed in terms of payments or general operation...

In late 2024, the Social Security Administration announced a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for the 2025 year of 2.5%. This means any benefits you are already receiving will be increased in your January payment. For those of you who have not had a hearing yet, it...

The majority of people who apply for disability have a history of working physically strenuous jobs, such as construction, warehouse work, or nursing. These are all occupations that put a lot of strain on a body over the years, so it’s very common for people from...

Many times when I call a client about an upcoming hearing, one of the first things they’ll say to me is that they have a friend or family member that they want to testify on their behalf at their hearing. And most of the time, I strongly recommend against having...

In the vast majority of Social Security disability cases, when an administrative law judge awards a case, that’s the end of it. The claim goes through processing, and after a few weeks or months, the claimant is awarded, and they receive disability benefits...

It depends what type of disability you are awarded. If you are eligbale for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), then yes! You are eligible for medicare once you have been disabled for two years. This does not mean two years after you are awarded, it means two...

The definition of “legally blind” is having a visual acuity of 20/200. This means that even with glasses or contacts, you can only read the first letter at the top of the Snellen Chart, if that. You can also be legally blind if you can see, but only in a very small...