A disability that happens suddenly can be very hard to adjust to. Maybe you got injured in a car accident; in the course of one day, your entire life changed. That's not something you can get your head around immediately.
How to stay positive when you have a disability
Proposed Change in Disability Rules Could End Benefits for Millions
Critics of a proposed change in how Social Security conducts continuing disability reviews say that if a new rule is enacted, it could result benefits being terminated for millions of people.
When do SSD payments begin after approval?
It takes time and effort on your part, but you eventually do get approved for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. What you're wondering, almost immediately, is when the payments actually start. When will you get the money they approved for you? When does that coverage begin? Could it be prior to your approval date?
How do I get help with disability insurance?
Work may not be your life, but work is often how we pay for our lives as well as the lives of our loved ones. If something happens that means you have a new relationship with your work, it often means there are changed to financial affairs.
Handling unfavorable medical expert testimony at your hearing
Social Security disability hearings will almost always involve the judge and the claimant's attorney taking testimony from the claimant and from a Vocational Expert (there are other blog posts here that discuss the role of the Vocational Expert in detail). However, you may also have to contend with the testimony of a medical expert. The medical expert (or "ME" in disability law circles) is a physician brought in by the Social Security Administration to review the medical records from your numerous providers and give an opinion on what the totality of the medical evidence supports as far as diagnoses and related limitations. Whether or not there is a medical expert present at your hearing depends in large part on which judge is assigned to hear your case. Some judges seem to find medical expert testimony very desirable, while other judges rarely make use of these experts. Medical experts are more common in cases that involve less common disabilities, where judges are more apt to feel that their understanding of the case can benefit from the expert's testimony.
Can cancer be a disability?
When you get a cancer diagnosis, it definitely changes your life. It's frightening, it requires extensive treatment and it makes you think hard about what life has in store for you.
The role of assistive technology after a disability
Technology has advanced a lot in the last 100 years, especially in the medical field. But it's not all about finding cures and treatments. Some advancements simply help people live better, fuller lives with the conditions that they suffer from.
Social Security Disability and Gaps in Medical Treatment
One of the key requirements of a successful disability claim is that an individual must suffer from an impairment that has lasted, or is expected to last, 12 consecutive months.
Could Social Security Monitor Your Facebook Posts?
Earlier this month, The New York Times ran an article detailing a proposal by the Trump administration to fund a program that would monitor the social media posts of individuals collecting Social Security disability payments.
Can I pursue disability benefits after a disabling car crash?
A car crash is always an unexpected event. If it renders one of the victims permanently disabled, it's even more unexpected. In some of these situations -- and depending on the nature and extent of the disability -- the problem could be a lifelong condition that prevents the injured party from working. In cases like this, you might be able to receive government benefits by pursuing a Social Security Disability (SSD) claim.
