I cannot overemphasize the importance of meeting with clients as early as possible in the disability claim process. You rarely get a complete picture of a claim until you meet the client in person.
The more time you spend talking with the client, the better the claim is developed and presented to the judge.
My 4-year “blogiversary” came and went earlier this month, and I have been thinking about the profound difference this professional blog has made to my life over the past four years.
Back when I started in 2008, I learned the blogging ropes from Kevin O’Keefe, the lawyer-CEO of Lexblog. Kevin recognized early the potential
Photo: Our daughter Bridget at her 2nd birthday party, after a cupcake
Every other week, I link to articles of note regarding Social Security disability. For the long Memorial Day weekend, here are several notable articles and blog posts for you to read:
I have developed a subspecialty within Social Security disability law for people age 55 and older. This area of Social Security disability law is notable because the principal issue for many disability claims involving physical impairments is whether or not the claimant can perform his or her past relevant work.
Those applying for
There is remarkable article by Sean Collins-Smith and Brandon Shulleeta, published yesterday in the Virginia Lawyers Weekly, entitled Richmond ALJ hearing Social Security claims has one of the highest denial rates in the country.
The subject of the article is Drew A. Swank, a Social Security administrative law judge who decided more than 1,100
There is a helpful article in the April Social Security Forum, which is a newsletter for NOSSCR members. On page 11, Illinois attorney Eric Schnaufer suggests having three reasons to rule out past relevant work at step four, and three reasons to rule out other work at step five of the sequential evaluation.
Every other Friday, I highlight articles of note from the Social Security disability law blogs. I missed last week's scheduled roundup due to the NOSSCR conference, so this week we have several selections:
I wrote recently about statements in support of a disability claim. Statements from those who are familiar with your situation (and particularly with your functional limitations) can be helpful evidence in support of your claim for Social Security disability benefits. Typically, these written statements are from a spouse, a relative, or a close
The latest statistics for processing times for disability claims at the Social Security hearing offices around the country have been released by the SSA, and reprinted in the April 2012 NOSSCR Social Security Forum newsletter.
Waiting times continue to shorten in Portland, Maine. The average wait for a hearing decision is now 377 days –
One speaker that caught my attention at the recent NOSSCR conference in Philadelphia was Peter Barry, a Minnesota consumer rights attorney. He spoke about abusive debt collectors, and what to do about them under the FDCPA. It was a very good presentation, and I have been thinking about the topic since attending the session.
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