Social Security Disability

When you file a Social Security Disability benefits claim, you may wonder who has the final say in determining whether you are disabled.  Is it your doctor? The judge hearing your case? You? A doctor’s opinion is just that—an opinion.  It is not the sole determining factor in whether you…

Almost 10 years ago, the Social Security Administration created Compassionate Allowances, a list of conditions that will fast-track your Social Security Disability claim on a diagnosis of that condition alone. In August, the SSA added five conditions to this list: tetrasomy 18p; superficial siderosis of the central nervous system; fibrolamellar…

If you file a claim to receive social security disability benefits (SSD), the Social Security Administration (SSA) will require you to fill out numerous forms.  Much of the information these forms request from you is redundant, and you will likely grow weary of answering the same questions the same way. …

For disabled older Americans who are denied disability benefits from the Social Security Administration and must try to find employment, the labor market can be a cruel place. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) requires that successful applicants have a severe and well-documented medical impairment that not only prevents him/her from…

One of the biggest factors in proving you are no longer able to work at any job in the economy  and deserve to receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits is: How much pain do you suffer?  And one of the most difficult factors to prove is: How much pain do…

If the symptoms you experience as a result of your disability or medical condition interfere with your ability to perform the duties of an entry-level job, Social Security will consider you disabled.  However, the chance of succeeding on your claim improve if your condition or disability is common enough to…

If your initial claim for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is denied, you have 60 days from the date of your denial to file an appeal.  Once you have filed the appeal, your claim is entered into a queue to receive a hearing in front of an Administrative Law…

It is official: New Yorkers have the worst wait times compared to every other state in the nation when trying to obtain Social Security benefits or schedule a hearing to vet their claims for benefits, according to data released by the Social Security Administration. In Manhattan, it now takes more…

According to recent numbers released by the Social Security Administration, 760,000 Americans are currently on the wait list for disability benefits.  With slashed funding and a shortage of Administrative Law Judges to handle the growing number of claims, many of these people find themselves taking drastic measures to survive. Take…

This article first appeared in The Buffalo News on August 2, 2018. When President Trump signed an executive order eliminating examinations and competitive hiring of administrative law judges (ALJs), he paved the way for cronyism and politicizing of these positions.  This decision is a threat to those applying for Social…