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Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, announced an online version of the Social Security Statement is now available at www.socialsecurity.gov.  The new online Statement provides eligible workers with secure and convenient access to their Social Security earnings and benefit information. An SSA Statement can provide you with important information detailing how much you will be eligible to receive upon… Read more »

As mentioned in a previous post entitled “Failure to Follow Prescribed Treatment,” medical evidence is a cornerstone in proving a Social Security disability claim. However, some individuals are sometimes not able to receive the necessary treatment due to various factors including lack of medical insurance or other economic barriers. In many cases, individuals experience symptoms… Read more »

So you have waited anywhere between 2 and 6 months to hear something from the Social Security Administration after filing your initial application. You got all that paperwork that Disability Determination Services sent you about your work and day to day life, and sent it back, filled out (and taking a lot of time and… Read more »

The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) rules require approved disability claims to be supported by evidence obtained by the SSA and provided by you, the claimant. Medical opinions are a common form of evidence and often form the basis of an approval or denial of a claim. Although the SSA might be able to determine whether… Read more »

There are 9.4 million military veterans receiving Social Security benefits, which means that almost one out of every four adult Social Security beneficiaries has served in the United States. Two out of every five recipients either are veterans or reside with family members who are veterans. Veteran recipients are overwhelmingly male compared with all adult… Read more »

If you’ve ever wondered what sort of people collect Social Security disability benefits, that precise question is answered every year in Social Security’s Annual Statistical Report on the Disability Insurance Program. To be eligible for the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program you must: Be insured for benefits (must have enough work credits based on… Read more »

Lots of people ask what they can do to help make their Social Security disability case stronger. As we discussed in a previous blog entry, the Social Security Administration primarily bases its decisions on your medical record. For the SSA, the strongest type of medical evidence is called “objective medical evidence.” Objective medical evidence means… Read more »

When an individual files an application for Social Security disability benefits, there are essentially four levels an application may progress through. This post discusses the first stage of the process, the initial level. The remaining stages will be discussed in future posts. The Initial Level The first level of the disability process is commonly referred… Read more »

As a case manager, when I have to inform our clients at Greeman Toomey PLLC about hearings before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) a frequent question that is asked is, “Will I have to speak during the hearing?” The simple answer is YES. If you are at a hearing before an ALJ it means that… Read more »

A closed period of disability is awarded to a claimant whose medical evidence proves that they have been unable to engage in Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) for at least a twelve month period of time, but later shows medical improvement according to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) rules. If SSA finds medical improvement, it means… Read more »