Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is the amount of money you can earn from wages and still be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. The SGA amount is important for two classes of people:
A person applying for disability benefits must have (or be expected to have) a period of 12 consecutive months with wages below
Social Security has a number of policy rulings that expand upon the regulations contained in the CFR. Social Security Rulings are binding on all components of the Social Security Administration, in accordance with 20 CFR 402.35(b), and are to be relied upon as precedents in adjudicating cases.
Anyone serious about representing clients before the
An “on the record” (OTR) request asks Social Security to grant your case on the record without a hearing. This request is for claims pending at the hearing level at the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO).
OTRs are favored by Social Security, because they save valuable resources. Why go though the hearing process if the
I enjoy my Social Security disability law practice. I have focused on this area of law for over 15 years, and I know what a difference an award of disability benefits can make to my clients.
I learned of a Fully Favorable decision for a client earlier this week. This case was out of the
I am not the only lawyer producing content about Social Security disability law. Here is a list of recent notable posts regarding Social Security disability claims:
Jonathan Ginsberg, Being Prepared for Your Social Security Disability Telephone Hearing (December 10, 2021)(video)
Morgan H. Zavadil, Social Security Disability Hearing: Past Work Inquiry And Importance, Midwest Disability
The Social Security Administration’s website has a list of Best Practices for Claimant’s Representatives, which was significantly updated last November.
The best practices are organized into categories:
This list of best practices is required
Ascites, which is fluid build-up in the abdomen, can occur when pressure builds up in the veins of the liver and the liver doesn’t function as it should. The most common cause of ascites is cirrhosis of the liver. The abdominal fluid can be drained periodically by a procedure called paracentesis. Patients with
When deciding a disability claim, the Social Security Administration looks at whether an individual is able to perform the duties of a job at steps 4 and 5 of the sequential evaluation. Social Security does not consider whether an individual would be hired for that job.
Social Security’s regulations directly address this issue.
From time to time I ask certain clients to keep a journal to keep track of their symptoms. For people with symptoms that are variable day to day, a journal can be be a good tool to quantify how often the symptoms are severe.
Every case is different, and everyone’s symptoms are different. So a
It is Veterans Day.
The Social Security offices are closed today, as is our office.
For a side-by-side comparison of the Social Security disability and Veterans Affairs disability programs, check out this fact sheet.