As we quickly head through summer toward fall in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many changes are taking place, but the needs of our country’s disabled have not changed. Attempts to flatten the curve have considerably altered work, educational, and pleasure activities, and in many cases not for the […]
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20 posts
The Social Security Administration has long required Claimants to provide “wet signatures” on appointments of representative and fee agreements. This requirement has continued even though the federal government consistently recognizes the validity of e-signatures in many many other applications. As of 05/21/2020, it appears that the first cracks in this […]
Filing a child’s disability claim looks very similar to filing a claim for an adult, but there are a few nuances that one should understand. Children under the age of 18 qualify for Social Security benefits under the SSI program. A child can qualify if they have a medical condition […]
Back pain may be caused by any number of issues, and claiming disability as a result of back pain can be a challenge. Back pain may be created by degenerative disc disease, muscle and disc issues, congenital malformations, or even hip or knee issues that change how people carry themselves. […]
Fibromyalgia is an illness that affects millions of people nationwide, and of those individuals, many thousands will experience challenges claiming disability as a result of fibromyalgia. This diagnosis is neurologic in nature, and its symptoms include tenderness to the touch in the muscles, joints, and soft tissue as well as […]
The Composite Jobs Rule can materially affect the Social Security Disability / SSI claim evaluation process. The technique employed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) typically follows a five-step sequential evaluation process. These five steps are discussed in detail over in the OBF Knowledge Base, but as a brief summary […]
In every disability case, a Claimant’s cash flow (Passive Income and Regular Income) are observed. These earnings may be examined for evidence of Substantial Gainful Activity, or they may be examined for the purpose of reducing SSI benefits. In all cases though, the nature of the earnings is important. In […]
One of the more technical and intimidating aspects for individuals who worked in highly skilled jobs is understanding how transferable skills are analyzed during the disability hearing. For claimants with skilled or highly skilled work backgrounds—as opposed to those with only unskilled backgrounds requiring little training or education— winning a […]
Filing an initial claim for disability benefits is a watershed moment in most workers’ lives. By the point filing disability has been considered, a Claimant has almost certainly experienced such significant mental or physical health issues at to prevent or remarkably reduce the ability to work. As such all communications […]
When individuals file for disability, the odds are initially against them. Most disability claims are denied at the initial level of application. In fact, nearly 70% of claims are denied at the initial stage. Claimants should not give up because the odds of success will improve (just not as quickly […]