The long wait for Social Security Disability benefits
Social Security disability benefits are a lifeline for millions of Americans who aren’t able to work due to medical issues. Getting benefits, however, is rarely easy. And it’s only gotten harder in recent years. The Social Security Administration has long labored beneath the weight of a mountainous caseload, insufficient staff...
Applying for disability benefits? Prepare for these 3 hurdles.
When you live with a disability, it’s only natural to seek assistance. Unfortunately, the process isn’t always easy, and programs that should help individuals in your circumstances might fall short. Could you benefit from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? Here’s what you should understand about...
Yes, a mental illness can be a disability
Mental illnesses are far more prevalent than most people realize. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, roughly 1 in 25 adults experience a serious mental illness that impacts their life in a major way. For some, this means an inability to keep a job or earn a consistent...
How does the Social Security Administration define disability? P.2
Last time, we began looking at the definition of disability in the context of Social Security disability claims. As we noted, the term disability in this context is related to a claimant’s ability to engage in substantial gainful activity. Generally speaking, then, it is fairly straightforward to determine whether individual...
How does the Social Security Administration define disability? P.1
Disability can mean different things in different contexts. In everyday speech, of course, it generally refers to a mental or physical condition that impairs an individual’s ability to engage in normal activity. For purposes of Social Security disability benefits qualification, though, disability has a more precise definition. The definition of...
SSDI benefits: looking at the work credit requirement, P.2
Last time, we began speaking about the work requirements that must be met by Social Security disability benefits claimants. As we noted, work credits are earned based on income, and a claimant must have earned a minimum number of work credits based on age in order to qualify for benefits....
SSDI benefits: looking at the work credit requirement, P.1
Although most people are aware that Social Security disability benefits are a form of insurance, there is a tendency to speak about them as a welfare program. The reality is that these benefits are insurance, though. As many commentators have pointed out, this should influence how we think and speak...
A brief look at how the Social Security Administration review claims, P.2
In our last post, we began speaking about the decision-making process utilized by the Social Security Administration when reviewing applications for disability benefits. As we noted, the first two considerations are whether the applicant is currently working, and whether his or her condition is severe enough that it interferes with...
A brief look at how the Social Security Administration review claims, P.1
Social Security disability benefits are an important financial resource for those who are able to qualify for them, but being approved for benefits is not an easy matter. Those who get in a bad enough spot to consider applying for Social Security disability benefits may expect a positive decision in...
You may be disabled, but does the Social Security Administration think so?
Disability can mean many things to many people, but when it comes to qualifying for Social Security Disability benefits, there is a very specific meaning to the term. When the Social Security Administration looks at an application for Social Security disability benefits, they are looking to make sure that the...
Don’t let a technical mistake lead to a denial of disability benefits
You may have heard this fact before: most applications for Social Security disability benefits are denied, even when they are considered a second time. So why? The sad truth is that each year many Pennsylvania residents with legitimate disabilities are denied SSDI benefits because of technical mistakes. A disability may...
Rhetoric in Washington suggests SSDI remains a political football
The fate of the Social Security Disability Insurance program is percolating to the surface of debate in Washington again. Not only may individuals in Pennsylvania considering whether to try navigating the SSDI application and appeals process be interested. Those who have already been approved to receive their disability benefits are...
Answering questions about concussions in football
It’s an annual tradition like no other. September in Pennsylvania means that football season is back once again. This means that high school teams across state, college teams, even the Steelers and Eagles will once again be delighting fans and making memories. While the action is thrilling, there are definite...
Caring for autistic children, adults can be expensive proposition
Trends in health care and medicine come and go. Whether it’s because of better understanding of conditions that were previously misunderstood, or a more cynical view that doctors are over-diagnosing certain conditions, there are definite peaks of interest regarding certain conditions. One of those is autism. In decades past, parents...
Harrisburg Social Security judge grants biggest awards in US
There can be a lot of uncertainty for disabled Pennsylvania residents when they are considering filing for Social Security disability insurance benefits. The paperwork can be daunting, and the documentation that must be produced might seem like a barrier to many residents. And if applicants should be denied Social Security...
Bully of disabled kids gets court-ordered comeuppance
How far should the justice system go to defend the rights of the disabled? Many people might feel that not enough is done on a daily basis, but one case that is getting some international attention is demonstrating how some people are willing to go to bat for the disabled...
SSA proposal could make legal consultation more important
We have written from time to time on our Pennsylvania personal injury blog about how it can be important to have solid legal advice when it comes to applying for Social Security disability insurance benefits. This might become even more important if a proposal regarding requirements for Social Security disability...
Study: Stress among injured workers results in disability risk
Going to work can be a stress in itself. Now, imagine that someone kisses their kids goodbye in the morning, goes to work and then is injured on-the-job. Or imagine the stress of an injury or illness that keeps someone from being able to go to work. Work is more...
25 conditions added to SSDI Compassionate Allowances list
Applying for disability benefits isn’t always described as the easiest process. Whether seeking benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance program or the Supplemental Security Income program, any missed detail, medical document or other requirement could lead to a denial. The complexity or an initial denial is what often prompts...
Health law covers habilitative services but will insurers comply?
As some people in Pennsylvania may know, habilitative treatment can be an extremely helpful tool for those who live with developmental disabilities. Unlike rehabilitation, habilitation helps someone learn and retain a skill rather than helping them re-learn how to do it. For a long time, however, insurers have not been...
Political fodder falsely implies SSD payments are easy to get
Worry and stress about the economy tends to result in strong opinions regarding all sorts of ways that our country could better utilize its money. While economic stability is an important cause, the means of getting there must be based on well-rounded, honest information. Representatives from the Social Security Administration...
Mental health coverage change highlights impact of mental illness
What can keep a person from being able to work? There are various situations, work injuries, other injuries and illnesses that can keep employees from performing their jobs. Often, the inability to work is a short-term, temporary hurdle. For others, their injury or illness could make for a long-term disability....
Discovery of suspected cause of Fibromyalgia could help disabled
Most people don’t want to live with pain. They want to live healthy lives and engage in the activities of healthy people. Those activities might be leisurely such as walking, swimming, etc. Those activities might be of the professional kind like typing, driving or other physical tasks that financially support...
Disability insurance is a help anyone should consider
For some, disability is a removed idea. Some people have never suffered injuries or illnesses that disable them. But more people than some might think will suffer from conditions that not only are painful and unpleasant but they are severe enough that it keeps people from doing their jobs and...
Construction and gas among most dangerous work industries
Good news tends to come with at least a bit of bad news on the side. That’s true in regards to statistics of workplace safety in the U.S. According to the Labor Department, fewer workers died in workplace accidents in 2012 than in 2011. Fewer work-related fatalities overall doesn’t mean...
Spotlight’s on mental illness and how it doesn’t discriminate
Chances are that most people have either suffered from mental illness or at least know someone who has. Conditions like depression, mood disorders, etc. impact people of all demographics. According to research, however, not all people are equally likely to seek the medical help that they might need when faced...
More women living with Alzheimer’s, supported by husbands
Generally when people get married and say “Until death do us part,” they assume that there will be a level of taking care of one another in their older ages. Everyone hopes that life will be made up of more of the “better” rather than the “worse,” but hardships come...
Increase in production could put workers at risk of carpal tunnel
Chicken is the protein of choice for many. It is an easy favorite for kids and a favorite among families because of its relatively low cost. The availability and low price of chicken comes at a different type of cost, however. The U.S. workers in poultry factories work hard to...
Cancer is leading disability among U.S. workers
Various types of injuries and illnesses can keep someone from working. Unum, an insurance provider, reports that there is a leading cause among workers who file disability claims. Not only is cancer impacting individuals on personal, emotional, medical and family levels; it is preventing U.S. workers’ abilities to return to...
Aging, surviving population impacts need for disability payments
The public certainly tends to make Social Security and disability benefits a heated political issue. Rather than argue any side of the argument, this blog post is merely meant to provide some information and encourage thought about disability claims in the U.S. CNN Money reports that there are various reasons...
Study suggests employers are blind to the abilities of the blind
There are many things that hiring manages and businesses must keep in mind when building its group of workers. There are laws that must be followed in order for the hiring process to be ethical and fair to candidates. Having a diverse workforce can be a significant strength to a...
Disabled workers no longer required to show ‘job readiness’
Pennsylvania residents with disabilities face any number of employment-related obstacles. Many people who want to work have a physical or intellectual disability that prevents them from performing a job. Even those who have the ability to work, either full time or part-time, have for years been required to prove to...
Social Security recipients should prepare for end of paper checks
Social Security disability insurance provides a financial lifeline for people who are unable to work due to illness or disability. For decades, those benefits have come to Pennsylvania residents in the form of a paper check in the mail. But beginning in March, that delivery system will officially end. Instead,...
Why are more people getting Social Security disability insurance?
A recent examination of the number of people receiving Social Security disability insurance shows a substantial rise in the past several years, but the reason behind it is unclear. Those who have been denied access to these funds might find this statistic frustrating. Has the Social Security disability approval process...
HIV/AIDS patients may qualify for Social Security benefits
Although a diagnosis of HIV was once considered a death sentence, advances in knowledge and treatment of HIV and AIDS have allowed countless numbers of patients with these viruses to live healthy, productive lives. But for those with advanced cases who are too sick to work, the Social Security Administration...
More Pennsylvanians relying on Social Security disability
Disabled residents of Pennsylvania who relied on the state’s General Assistance program have been struggling since Gov. Tom Corbett cut the program from the state budget. Many are turning to Social Security disability insurance, which can seem nearly as unattainable as the recently axed state funds. The program that provided...
Can disabled Pennsylvanians keep benefits while trying to work?
For Pennsylvania residents who are unable to work due to a disability, Social Security disability insurance can be a lifesaver. But the Social Security Administration also has resources for disabled workers who are ready and able to give work a try. And you may not need to give up the...
CDC to baby boomers: Get tested for hepatitis C now
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a startling recommendation to baby boomers earlier this month: Get a blood test to see if you have hepatitis C, a disease that attacks the liver and if left untreated, can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer, all of which...
Disease affecting veterans makes Social Security disability list
One of the many frustrating aspects of war for veterans is a disability that prevents them from working after returning home to civilian life. While prosthetics to replace limbs are getting better all the time and conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder are now more widely acknowledged as obstacles to...
Disabled Pennsylvanians have much to gain from health care ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the highly controversial Affordable Care Act could have a significant impact on people with disabilities in Pennsylvania, according to many advocates. With so many residents being denied Social Security disability insurance or the benefits to their employers’ long-term disability plans, the changes to...
Medical documents required for Social Security disability benefits
Getting injured, whether it’s in a car accident or in a work accident, can be frustrating. Not only do you have to deal with the physical recovery, but many victims of accidents also struggle financially. Being unable to work can put you in a difficult situation. People who have become...
How Social Security evaluates visual disorders
Suffering from a job-related injury can be frustrating. It can be difficult navigating the process of claiming benefits. For many, Social Security disability insurance is an option. But there are many requirements and regulations that dictate eligibility. Social Security defines visual disorders as abnormalities in the eye, brain, or optic...
Can children of disabled individuals get Society Security benefits?
When someone is seriously injured and can no longer make ends meet, there is a lot to consider moving forward. One of those considerations is how to provide for children, if there are any. In situations where parents are disabled, children can receive Social Security disability benefits in order to...
Social Security recipients will still receive August benefit checks
The current confrontation between Congress and the White House over the issue of raising the ceiling on the national debt has raised concerns among Social Security recipients that August benefit checks may be delayed. On Tuesday, President Obama created a flurry of concern that some of these fears may be...
Applicants wait longer for Social Security disability benefits
Sometimes a workplace accident can cause a serious injury for a person. If the injury is severe or the medication or treatment isn’t working, the person may not be able to return to work for a long period of time. In some situations, the worker may be eligible for social...
Raising Social Security retirement age may hurt more than help
Some lawmakers propose that raising the age that a person can collect full Social Security benefits saves the government program money and reflects a nation of people who live longer. That may not be true for those with limited incomes or those who may require social security disability benefits. Social...
Severe back injury leaves man in need of disability benefits
It could happen to anyone. One day you could be healthy and successful, providing for your loved ones and enjoying life. The next day you could suffer a job-related injury and be unable to move, losing your ability to get to work. For one man, it became a reality after...