In many discussions our office has had with new clients we are told, or come to find, only a couple of conditions have been listed with the Social Security Administration office when the application was filed. During subsequent conversations we come to discover there is much more going on than just the one or two conditions or symptoms that are affecting our clients. I cannot stress enough how important it is to consider ALL of what is preventing you from working. So many of us want to dismiss the “minor” discomforts for as long as possible for sake of it being just than – a discomfort. Many others dismiss the “minor” issues as more serious conditions begin to develop. After a point, they start to find the “minor” issues aren’t so minor any more but they’re still nothing compared to what the “real” issue is.

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I recently had a claimant ask if Social Security could have him followed. My response to this question: I am not sure what Social Security is and is not allowed to do in their investigations. What I can tell you is what I have learned from my experience with working at other firms for prosecuting attorneys. If we ever felt that someone was hiding something and we wanted to investigate them we would start by searching for them on Facebook. 75% of the people we searched for were found on Facebook and we were able to get all the evidence we needed off of their Facebook page. However, if we could not find them on Facebook we would end our investigation right there. Continue reading →

I have come across many frustrated Social Security disability applicants due to the time consuming and overwhelming process. There are many forms to fill out and each form needs to be filled out properly, also providing enough medical evidence to prove you disability are all requirements; in most cases it can take months, or even years to be awarded disability benefits. The best way to approach the application process is to fully prepare and completely understand the requirements of the Social Security Administration. Continue reading →

We here at Scott Davis, P.C. have noticed a rather troubling trend with our clients as of late. More and more people are showing up with substance abuse in their medical records (see my post “Your doctor knows more than you Think”). Most people think of substance abuse as just street drugs, but this can include alcohol abuse, and even prescription drug abuse. This is wrong on several levels, but to keep this post shorter than the tax code (and to avoid sounding too much like Mom), I’ll keep this simple: if any person making a decision on your claim deems drug and/or alcohol use a material factor in why you are unable to work they are bound by law to deny your claim. Continue reading →

You have been out of work for a while. You know for sure you will not be able to return because of your disability. Now you are thinking… “If I go to school and learn something new, maybe I could go back to work?” Continue reading →

Recently I was told by someone that he knew “for a fact” he was disabled and was astounded that the SSA denied the claim for disability benefits. The unfortunate “Fact” is that the SSA is supposed to take many things into consideration when making their determinations on disability claims but sometimes they aren’t fully aware of all the disabling conditions an individual is dealing with. For that matter, sometimes the other parties involved aren’t always clued in either. Continue reading →

Without regular medical treatment , it is very difficult to prove your disability claim. A failure to seek treatment may also become a basis for Social Security to deny your claim. Social Security cannot  just rely on your statements; it needs medical proof documenting your symptoms and limitations and, preferably, opinions from your doctors, psychiatrists and/or psychologists. Continue reading →

In my previous blog post I talked about the difficulty several of our clients have obtaining any kind of medical treatment due to financial difficulties. It can certainly seem as if we as your representative are asking you to pull a rather large rabbit out of your hat by insisting you go see your doctor. Fortunately we have a small bag of tricks to help you out. Continue reading →

I regularly get phone calls and/or emails from potential clients wanting to know the difference between SSDI and SSI – although both are federal programs that provide assistance for those who are disabled, it is important to know the different eligibility requirements. Continue reading →