Two years is the average time in Maine for a Social Security disability or SSI claim to get from an initial claim to an ALJ decision.
From the day you apply for disability benefits, the initial claim process takes 4 to 6 months. If your claim is denied (as 2 out of 3 are, on average), the
<
Baby Bridget opened her first Valentine's Day gift.
Just a few short years ago, Social Security disability claim files were paper, and getting a copy of the claim file meant literally making a photocopy of the file. You still see paper files every now and then, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
Most claim files are now electronic
Here is a selection of recent notable posts from the disability blogs. This roundup is published every other Friday.
It has been a while since the Best Practices for Claimant's Representatives was published on the Social Security Administration's website.
If you are representing clients before the SSA, this list of best practices is full of useful reminders, and is worth revisiting every now and then. Take a look when you get a chance.
I often handle Social Security disability claims of those age 55 and over. Some of these clients contact me at the beginning of the process, to help with their application for disability benefits. I encourage this practice, since it can avoid a long wait for benefits and increase the chances of an award
Every other Friday I publish a selection of notable articles published recently in the disability blogs:
In Region 1, which comprises the New England States, we have the Decision Review Board (DRB) as a legacy of the DSI process. Most claims that are denied at the ALJ level are selected by the DRB for review. So instead of an Appeals Council appeal, we have the Decision Review Board. The DRB review
In a Social Security disability case, the record often contains a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) or a medical source statement that sets forth limitations like these: lifting and carrying 10 pounds occasionally and less than 10 pounds frequently, standing and/or walking for about 2 hours in an 8-hour work day, sitting about 6 hours in
The Social Security disability blog roundup is back from its holiday hiatus. Here are the links to recent notable posts from the disability blogs: