Tag Archives: legal help for disability benefits
WORK CREDITS & SSDI BENEFITS
To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you need to accumulate work credits through regular contributions to the SSDI program. Your contributions are made through FICA taxes if you are employed. Or, through SECA taxes if you’re self-employed. Typically, you need a minimum of 10 years of work to be insured for benefits. However, the number of work credits can vary based upon your age at the time of disability onset. Generally, you need 40 credits, with 20 earned in the last decade preceding your inability to work. You can earn up to 4 work credits per year.
CAN SOCIAL SECURITY TAKE AWAY YOUR BENEFITS?
Can Social Security cease or take away your disability benefits? This is one of the most common questions we hear at Cannon Disability Law. And the short answer is “yes.” Even if you win benefits, the SSA can cease or take away your benefits. This is true whether you receive SSDI or SSI benefits…. Read More »
HOW TO FILL OUT ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING FORM
Are you wondering how to fill out the SSA’s “Activities of Daily Living Form?” Every person who files an application for SSDI or SSI benefits has to fill out the form. The ADL form is not a questionnaire about your past accomplishments. It is not a resume or a chance for you to tell the SSA how you used to do things. Instead, the activities of daily living form is about the problems you face every day due to your medical condition. The form should tell the SSA that you can no longer cook, clean, or do the laundry without help. If you don’t write about your limitations, then the SSA will use your answers to prove that you can work.
SLEEP APNEA & DISABILITY BENEFITS
Sleep apnea is a disorder that occurs during sleep when you have a pause in breathing or shallow breathing. These pauses can occur multiple times a night and result in fatigue the next day. If so, sleep apnea can interfere with your ability to work. If you have severe sleep apnea and other medical issues, apply for SSD benefits with the help of Cannon Disability Law.
THE MEDICAL EXPERT AT THE SSA HEARING
Medical Experts commonly called by the ALJ to testify at SSD hearings. They explain your medical conditions to the judge and testify about whether your condition meets or equals an SSA listing. You need a lawyer to question the ME and prove the ME wrong if they give unfavorable testimony.
MULTIPLE MYELOMA & DISABILITY BENEFITS
Multiple myeloma is a rare, but serious, form of blood cancer. Find out how multiple myeloma affects the bones and organs, and learn about available treatment options. Also, learn about how you can win disability benefits if you have multiple myeloma and you cannot work.
WHAT IS AN UNSUCCESSFUL WORK ATTEMPT?
SSA’S UNSUCCESSFUL WORK ATTEMPT An unsuccessful work attempt is when you try to work while you are waiting for benefits. But, you aren’t able to work due to your disability. Many people call us, while they are waiting for the SSA to make a decision, and ask if they can make a “work attempt.”… Read More »
AUTISM BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN
WHAT IS AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN CHILDREN? Autism benefits are available for children who have Autism spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a medical condition that affects a child’s nervous system, growth and development. Parents usually notice the symptoms of ASD during their child’s first 3 years of life. For example, some children… Read More »
TRICK QUESTIONS THE SSA JUDGE MIGHT ASK
WILL THE JUDGE ASK TRICK QUESTIONS DURING THE SSA HEARING? Trick questions are not the norm in Social Security hearings. So, you don’t really need to worry about it. Most judges are not out to confuse, upset, or undermine you during your SSD hearing. However, there are some questions that can cause problems for… Read More »
MIXED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE
WHAT IS MIXED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE? Mixed connective tissue disorder (MCTD) is a rare autoimmune disorder. It shares symptoms with several other connective tissue diseases, including systemic lupus, scleroderma, polymyositis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Because it shares symptoms with so many other disorders, it is sometimes referred to as an overlap syndrome. Some of these… Read More »
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE & WINNING SSD
WHAT IS ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE? Alzheimer’s disease is a brain condition that damages memory, thinking, and behavior. It progresses over time and makes it hard for you to lead a normal life and to work. Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia. It accounts for almost 60-70% of all dementia cases. Learn more about… Read More »
DEMENTIA & DISABILITY BENEFITS
WHAT IS DEMENTIA? Dementia is not a specific disease. Instead, dementia is a group of conditions that effect your brain’s neurological health. For example, you may have dementia if you have ongoing memory loss and poor judgment. Additionally, dementia usually involves a progressive decline in your cognitive function, memory, and language skills. Dementia interferes… Read More »
SPINAL CORD INJURY & SSD BENEFITS
WHAT IS A SPINAL CORD INJURY? A spinal cord injury refers to damage to the spinal cord. Your spinal cord is a long tube of nerve tissue that runs from the brain down through the center of your back. The spinal cord contains nerve fibers that transmit messages between the brain and the rest… Read More »
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS – WHEN TO FILE
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY AND SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME BENEFITS Many people contact our office asking whether they should file an application for Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income. Typically, they wonder if they will qualify for benefits. But they also wonder if they should wait to file for benefits. After all, many people are… Read More »
NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
WHAT ARE NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS? Neurodevelopmental disorders are a group of medical conditions that occur during the developmental period, which is age 22 or younger. Possible signs and symptoms of these disorders include problems with cognitive processing. It also includes deficits in attention or impulse control, low frustration tolerance, or deficits in social skills. While… Read More »
SMALL INTESTINE CANCER & SSD
WHAT IS CANCER OF THE SMALL INTESTINE? Small intestine cancer qualifies for SSD benefits if it prevents you from working for over 12 months. This article will discuss cancer of the small intestine. The small intestine is responsible for absorbing nutrients from the food we consume. It is located between the stomach and the large… Read More »
FIVE SECRETS TO HELP YOU WIN SSD BENEFITS
Secrets really isn’t the right word to describe what this article is about. However, some of the issues we are going to discuss are not well known, even though they are important to winning SSD benefits. Therefore, perhaps you could call them secrets. The following five “secrets” will help you file your application for… Read More »
PARKINSON’S DISEASE & SSD BENEFITS
PARKINSON’S DISEASE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Every year, around 60,000 Americans get Parkinson’s disease. Around the world, there are more than 10 million people living with the condition. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition that affects the nervous system. It also affects the parts of the body controlled by the nerves. Parkinson’s disease… Read More »
BLACK LUNG DISABILITY BENEFITS
BLACK LUNG DISEASE If you have black lung disease or Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis, you may qualify for benefits under the federal Black Lung program. Black lung disease can be seen on chest X-ray and CT scans. If you have black lung disease, then your chest X-ray or CT scan will show pulmonary nodules in… Read More »
BLINDNESS AND SSD BENEFITS
Blindness or visual loss can impact your daily life and ability to work. If you cannot work due to blindness and visual loss, then you should file for SSDI benefits. Visual loss refers to a significant reduction in the visual acuity or field of vision. Total blindness means a complete loss of vision or… Read More »
