There are many benefits to being a Social Security disability lawyer. You are able to help people who really need the help, and it is very gratifying when a claimant receives disability benefits. I recently received a Fully Favorable decision on a claim where, in addition to getting disability benefits for the client, I may have helped to save her life. When I first met this client, she had not had medical treatment for several…

Everyone applying for Social Security disability benefits wants to know when his or her claim will be decided. Since by definition a disabled person cannot work, a long wait for a decision is a real struggle for most disability claimants. However, there are a couple of steps you can take to speed up the disability claim process. First, when Social Security sends you forms to be completed, complete and return them right away. Many claims are delayed…

I received this question from a reader: What does it mean when an administrative judge requests a review of title and positions from a claimants work record by vocational expert? It means that the administrative law judge (ALJ) is considering whether or not you can return to your past relevant work at step 4 of Social Security’s sequential evaluation process. After the vocational expert (VE) characterizes your past jobs, the judge will ask the VE…

If you qualify for Social Security disability benefits, your minor children are also awarded benefits. These benefits are in addition to your monthly disability payments, and are intended to help provide the necessities of life for your children. If you remain disabled, the children’s benefits will continue until their 18th birthday (a child still in high school can receive benefits until age 19). It is a significant amount of additional money. A child’s benefit typically…

Part of my practice involves obtaining Title XVI benefits for immigrants and refugees. Often, these clients also need legal help with our complicated immigration system, including issues such as asylum, getting a green card, and citizenship. Now legal representation is available right in Portland, Maine for those seeking immigration-specific legal services. Check out Maine Immigration Attorneys. They can help!…

The frequency of your medical treatment is an important factor in your Social Security disability claim. A diagnosis is a first step, but a judge must evaluate your functional limitations due to your medical condition. And when evaluating the seriousness of your functional limitations, regular doctor visits are helpful. Looking at the cases of mine that were not granted in the past year or so, the lack of medical treatment played a role in almost every…

Your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) is the cornerstone of your Social Security disability claim. Unless you meet a listed impairment, the administration’s assessment of your RFC will decide the outcome of your disability claim. The RFC is Social Security’s assessment of your abilities to do sustained physical and mental activities on a regular and continuing basis in a work setting. The RFC considers only those funtional limitations resulting from medically determinable impairments. The RFC…