Welcome! This site is written for Social Security disability claimants, for their legal representatives, and for the network of people involved in the Social Security disability claim process. I hope you find it helpful.
If you would like assistance with your Social Security disability claim, please contact Gordon Gates or complete a Free Claim Review form
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If you have an ALJ hearing scheduled for Tuesday, May 27th (the day after Memorial Day) the last business day to submit new evidence here in Region 1 is Friday, May 16th.
In New England we have a 5-day-ahead-of-the-hearing deadline for new evidence. That requirement is a remnant of the experimental DSI process in SSA…
Severe depression is a basis for Social Security disability. Depression is analyzed under listed impairment 12.04.
Sometimes a patient's depression is so deep, and/or so unresponsive to medication, that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is prescribed. It is not a procedure to undertake lightly, because the risks and potential side effects can be significant.
Having representing…
Until a few years ago, we all used to receive a Social Security statement in the mail each year. The statement contains a record of the earnings upon which you have paid Social Security taxes over the years, and an estimate of the benefits you may earn as a result.
To save money, these statements…
For several years, Social Security has had a list of medical conditions that qualify for compassionate allowances. If you have one of these diagnoses and have stopped working, then the SSA has an expedited process to establish disability.
In general, compassionate allowance claims are granted before a disability lawyer ever becomes involved. So it…
The SSA has put a plan together detailing what operations will continue and what tasks will not be undertaken in the event of a government shutdown. The SSA has released its Shutdown 2013 Potocol (link opens a 5-page PDF).
Take a look. Charts on page 3 show what activities the Field Offices and DDS offices…
The status of a representative's claims at the Appeals Council will be added to SSA's online Appointed Representative Services in August. Deputy Commissioner Glenn Sklar made that announcement at the Spring NOSSCR Conference.
This is welcome news. One of the frustrating aspects of dealing with the Appeals Council is that there is not a good…
I will be attending the Spring conference for the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR) being held this week in Washington, D.C.
There is almost always something noteworthy to share from the conference, and I will have a blog post or two about it soon.
I look forward to seeing friends and colleagues…
Each month I highlight articles of note regarding Social Security disability. This month brought several stories in the mainstream press regarding the Social Security disability program. Links to three of them are below:
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