At the end of March 2020 due to Covid-19, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Office of Hearings and Operations (OHO) moved from in person hearings to telephone hearings at the Atlanta downtown OHO, Covington OHO, Alpharetta OHO, Savannah OHO, Macon…
During the COVID-19 pandemic from April 10, 2020 until further notice, SSA is NOT acting on the following cases based upon NOSSCR’s June 2020 newsletter. https://nosscr.org: 1. Medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) -This is good news for any adult or…
The Social Security Administration (SSA) eliminated Medical Listing 9.08. For complications from diabetes, this listing previously resulted in a finding of disability at step three of the sequential evaluation process for social security disability claims. https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/9.00-Endocrine-Adult.htm In fact, effective June…
Beginning in April 2015, the Social Security Administration (SSA) created new internal Hallex regulations requiring representatives to submit all existing evidence related to a client’s mental or physical impairments. In the past, representatives were not required to submit evidence that…
Marking a Social Security Milestone August 14, 2015 is the 80th anniversary of Social Security. Few Americans working today can remember a time when Social Security wasn’t part of the social fabric of America. Since the Social Security retirement program…
If you are applying for Disability Insurance benefits (DIB or SSDI) under Title II and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) under Title 16 of the Social Security Disability Act, you quickly realize that this government program cannot provide the swift help…
I recently had the unique opportunity of dining with a group of women from the U.S. Armed Services who proudly served our country. As with female and male veterans whom I have assisted with social security disability claims over the…
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia is the type of medical condition that has been misunderstood by some Adjudicators at Disability Adjudication Services (DAS), as well as Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). Thankfully, there is Social…
Effective April 20, 2013, to the relief of Attorneys/Representatives and some Administrative Law Judges (ALJs), the Office of Adjudication and Review (ODAR), will once again disclose the names of the Judges when hearing notices are mailed. Please see my prior…
1. Nicole, a 28 year old female, was a refugee from New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina. Growing up with severe Crohn’s disease, Nicole had much of her small intestines removed at 9 years of age. Nicole’s mother was a drug…
There are four steps to evaluating whether your child is entitled to SSI child disability benefits. 1.Is your child working at the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level? Please see my blog dated September 18, 2010, www.kathleenflynnlaw.com for a more detailed…
As mentioned in my previous blog dated September 12, 2010, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Compassionate Allowances program moves the cases of claimants with specific medical conditions, classified as “the most serious disabilities” by SSA, faster. According to SSA, these…
Great news as the holidays approach! Beginning in January 2012, anyone receiving disability benefits will get a cost of living increase (COLA) of 3.6 percent. Thus, those who were found disabled by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and those who…
In the past, whenever one of our clients received an unfavorable decision at a hearing by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), the Law Office of Kathleen Flynn would appeal the claim to the Appeals Council (AC), as well as file…
If you are 18 years old or older, there are five basic steps of a sequential evaluation process that the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers to decide if you are disabled. 1. Are you engaging in substantial gainful activity? Please…
After losing a job due to a disability, many people apply for and receive state unemployment compensation benefits. Unemployment compensation benefits provide temporary income to unemployed workers. In order to receive weekly unemployment compensation benefits, one must affirm, to the…
When you apply for social security disability, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may arrange an appointment with a Consultative Examiner (CE). A consultative examiner is a physician, a licensed psychologist or a psychiatrist who has a contract with SSA to…
The first question that the Social Security Administration (SSA) asks in order to determine your eligibility for disability is: Are you engaging in substantial GAINFUL activity (SGA)? By applying for social security disability with SSA, a person claims that he…
The Social Security Administration (SSA) classifies certain cases as compassionate allowances. Compassionate allowances have special electronic processing procedures for speedy favorable decisions. SSA’s compassionate allowance list includes very serious medical conditions that clearly meet social security disability standards. Compassionate allowances…