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Social Security and Disability Articles

Failing to comply with your doctor’s treatment can affect your case

Social Security’s decision to award you benefits depends a lot on the credibility of your statements. In other words, Social Security needs to believe that you truly are disabled. They need to believe that you experience the symptoms you claim to experience, in example, pain, weakness, or memory loss. They also need to believe that your symptoms make it impossible to carry out daily tasks entailed in basic work situations, as in, walking, sitting, lifting, or communicating. Continue reading

Perspective

We talk a lot here about the critical importance of getting medical care to support your disability claim. What is sometimes not understood, however, is that we still need you to tell us about where you have been. Nearly all medical treatment you receive is likely to have some sort of impact on your claim, but if we are not aware of it, the Social Security office probably will not know about it either. Continue reading

Getting affidavits notarized

Why is it important for my family or friends who write an affidavit on my behalf to have their affidavit notarized?  This is a question I have heard quite a few times from clients. An affidavit by definition is “a written declaration upon oath made before an authorized official”.  Without the notary public’s signature as a witness the affidavit is simply a statement. Continue reading

Updating personal contact information with your attorney

It is important to always inform your attorney or any other Social Security representative when you move and change phone numbers. If we are unable to reach you in a timely matter, it can have a detrimental impact on your case as we at certain times need to update your medical information, schedule meetings and confirm evidence in your file. Continue reading

Compassionate Allowances

I found myself surprised recently as the Social Security Administration recently held a hearing and added more conditions to their Compassionate Allowances list. I find it difficult to swallow that the SSA has any level of compassion, but that is my personal opinion. The Compassionate Allowances program was launched in 2008 to help expedite processing of claims which fall under certain medical criteria and include diagnoses confirming any one of 50 medical conditions. Continue reading