Social Security designates 6 different circumstances in which a Disability hearing may be expedited. Below I have generally outlined these unique situations. Remember that this is just an outline and for more detailed descriptions of when a hearing can be expedited, you should call Social Security or visit their website: Terminal Illness: For people whose illness is irreversible and expected to end in death 100% Disabled Veteran: For veterans who are considered 100% Military

Generally speaking, no, a person cannot receive both Social Security Retirement payments and Social Security Disability payments. The reason for this, in theory, is that an individual is either not working because he is disabled or he is not working because he is retired (not both). In fact, if you receive Social Security disability, you will automatically be switched to retirement when you reach your personal retirement age. Retirement age is determined by when you were born

Sometimes when you're applying for Social Security Disability (or any government benefit for that matter) it is very easy to feel like just a number. One Social Security employee tells you one thing, then another tells you something else. Dealing with a massive agency like this often leads to feelings of hopelessness and wondering why they are ignoring your claim. I will say that most employees are actually doing the best they can and really want to help you. The problem is t

It is not uncommon for people applying for Social Security Disability to have collected some sort of income on unemployment. It these difficult economic times, people who cannot work need to find any sort of income to pay their bills so it is certainly understandable. However, it is possible that this may affect eligibility for Disability benefits because Social Security will have evidence of all your income for the last few years. Here is the problem: When you apply for Soci

The common definition of Social Security Disability you hear is saying that you are too disabled to work. However, a more accurate definition could be saying that you are too disabled to do significant work. Every year, Social Security sets a specific amount that they call Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). If you are making more than this amount, you are engaging in SGA and are not eligible for Social Security Disability. However, if you are making less than this amount, yo

I met an out of town couple about a month ago who had a teenage son with Autism. Their financial situation wasn't dire so they had never seriously looked into Social Security Disability. But after finding out I was a Disability attorney, they had a million questions for me about whether their son would qualify. This made me realize how much people truly do not know how the process works and whether their child is eligible. For a child to qualify for disability, there are esse

I spoke with a woman recently who was considering filing for Social Security Disability. She had just asked a lawyer in their extended family to help them with their Disability claim. So this begs the question: Can any lawyer handle a Social Security Disability claim? Technically, yes. Lawyers are trained to consider rules and analyze how their client's case fits within those rules. However, Social Security Disability has many intricate steps and rules that a non-Disability a

It's a tough situation in which to find yourself. You've worked hard your entire life, and yet a recent injury or illness has made it impossible for you to continue. Your only solution seems to be filing for Social Security Disability. Then you have to hear on the news or from people on the street that Disability recipients are people who just don't want to work. Do not listen to them. It is true, like any other program, there will always be people who abuse Social Security D

After a long two year battle with Social Security, you finally receive your first Disability check. Then about a year later, you get a letter saying you have been cut off. Can this really happen? Well, yes and no. Unfortunately, receiving a favorable claim does not mean you will 100% receive benefits for the rest of your life. It is very common for Social Security to do periodic (every couple years) evaluations of favorable applicants to make sure their conditions have not im

Medications an applicant is taking often have a less direct, yet still important impact on a claim. When preparing for a hearing, Disability attorneys want to know which medications their client has been taking; Ibuprofen to Oxycontin and everything in between. Social Security is interested in knowing what steps the claimant has taken to improve their condition and what effects their medication has on a daily basis. However, simply being on a lot of medication does not make a