When you file your Social Security Disability application you will be giving Social Security your work information.  It is important to remember not to inflate your past work.  In other words you are not writing a resume.  Many people when they fill out the application want to show what a good and skilled worker they were.  Skills that can be transfered from your prior work may be used against you to show you can do other work.  See my GRID rules page to see what I mean.  Don't lie about your past work but don't exaggerate what you did either.  Tell the truth about what you did in your prior work, the last thing you want to do is get caught not telling the truth on those forms. 

I just want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have sent me positive comments about my website and how it helped you with your Social Security Disability and SSI claims.  It motivates me to continue to give this information about Social Security Law.  When I started this website I did it because I felt the information out there on Social Security Disability was not available to the general public in an easy to understand way.  I will continue to try and make SSDI and SSI as simple to learn as I can.  As you can tell from reading my site there is a lot of information to absorb.  If you are ever confused it is quite understandable and yet the information I provided on this site so far does not cover every aspect of Social Security Disability law.  I will continue to address more topics.  The more I write on this site the more I realize how much more there is I want to include.  So book mark this site and sign up for my newsletter to get even more information on SSDI and SSI.  This site has been on-line for only two months and over 5,000 people have visited it.  Thank You!  Knowing that I might have helped that many people with their disability claim makes it all worth it. 

When you first looked at this site you realized how complex Social Security Disability Law is.  It can take a lawyer several years and many cases to understand every aspect of Social Security Disability and SSI.  I have handled thousands of cases and I learn something new all the time.  Just to keep current with the many different issues and changes in the law I attend two 4 day conferences a year.  You can't be expected to know all there is about Social Security Disability.  By reading this site you should at-least have a working knowledge to help win you disability benefits.  I was thinking today about how to make it as simple as possible and I came up with a formula.  Remember every case is different and this is extremely simplified but I think it is the core of every Social Security Disability and SSI claim.  All relevant medical records + treating doctors RFCs + experienced disability lawyer = best chance to win.  If you have have these three things you are giving yourself a good chance of winning your disability benefits.  Medical records are a must to prove your medical conditions, there severity and your course of treatment.  RFCs from your treating doctors are important because they show how your medical conditions limit you.  A lawyer is important because if you don't have a firm grasp of the law you should have someone on your side who does.    

A page on Social Security Disability in New York has been added.  It includes some of the local Social Security offices and all of the hearing offices in NY.  I have also added a page on Veterans Disability benefits.  VA benefits are not handled by the Social Security Administration but a new law may soon go into affect that would allow Veterans for the first time to hire lawyers at the VA administrative levels.  Be sure to book mark this site because more free disability information is coming.  

This week I plan to add a page on SSDI and SSI in New York.  I will also try and add a page on fibromyalgia and Social Security Disability.  I will continue to update this site with new pages of different medical conditions and different states.  Remember to stay involved in your case and keep researching Social Security Disability law.  I would also like to wish you all a Happy Holiday Season!

If you have a hearing scheduled you might be wondering if you should bring witnesses to testify on your behalf.  The answer to this question is it depends.  If you suffer from a condition such as seizure disorder you will want a witness to testify who has observed some of your seizures.  No matter what your medical condition is if you have a home health aid or someone else who helps you with daily tasks they can be a great witness to testify about things you need help with in your daily activities.  Family members can be good witnesses but they tend to be viewed by ALJs as less reliable since they have a personal relationship with the claimant.  Keep in mind that too many witnesses or even unnecessary witnesses will only act to annoy an ALJ who has a huge case load.  If you have an attorney or representative ask them about potential witnesses and let them help you decide if one is helpful or not.  If a one of your treating doctors is willing to testify for you which is rare (doctors have very busy schedules) this can be extremely helpful.  You don't need to have witnesses in every case in fact most probably don't.  Witnesses almost always testify after you have finished your testimony and they are not in the room when you testify.  Some ALJs will use a witness to find contradictions in your testimony and it can be used against you.  So when considering whether to use a witness in a Social Security Disability hearing ask yourself the following questions.  Will the witness add anything helpful to the hearing?  Do I have enough evidence in the file to support my testimony of my limitations such as RFC forms from my doctors?  If so do I really need a witness?  Has this witness been around you enough to give insight to your struggles on a daily basis?  Has this witness experienced a specific event that shows how limited you can be?  Is there anything that could be asked of the witness that my hurt your case?  These questions are a good starting point but I strongly recommend you consult with a lawyer about your hearing and the possibility of using a particular witness.  Lawyers or representatives that have handled many Social Security Disability cases will have a good idea of when a witness is needed.  They will also probably have some knowledge of the ALJ and what that ALJs attitude is towards witnesses.

If you have researched Social Security Disability for any amount of time you have probably come across those adds that say 90% success rate or we win 95% percent of our cases.  I find these adds to be extremely misleading.  The social security disability representatives that advertise this type of success rate are able to do this because they only take cases they know they will win.  Experienced Social Security Disability representatives in this area of law know what a really strong case looks like.  Some of these representatives are out there after easy money and will take only the cases that would probably win even without a lawyer or representative.  I still recommend getting a lawyer for your Social Security Disability claim but if you see an add that sounds to good to be true it probably is.   

If you have started your claim for Social Security Disability or SSI you know that the first step you take is applying for benefits.  If you are denied at this level you then file for reconsideration that is if you are in an area that still has reconsideration.  Each one of these steps usually takes about 3 to 4 months to get a decision.  If you are denied at application don't just wait to be denied again at reconsideration.  Denial rates at reconsideration are somewhere around 85% or more.  I believe a big reason for this is that usually the information in the file is essentially the same as it was when you were denied at application.  It is very important if you are denied at application to check up on your file and see what evidence may be missing.  Most people who file without an attorney tend to rely on Social Security to develop their file.  Don't waist another 3 or 4 months waiting for another denial.  Make sure all your records are in and make sure it includes RFCs from your treating doctors.  By doing this you will make sure your case is fully evaluated and not just a rubber stamp on the first decision.

I have added to the site two new pages.  These new pages offer some information for those who are trying to get Social Security Disability or SSI for back disorders or depression.  If you suffer from these disabilities you should read these pages but don't stop there.  Make sure to read as much of this site as you can.  You should also read Social Security's website for even more information.  Remember if you want to give your self the best chance of winning your Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income benefits you should research as much as you can.  If you acquire a good understanding of Social Security Disability and how they determine if you are disabled you will increase your chances of winning. 

If you have not heard anything from Social Security or your lawyer in two months or more then take the time to check up on your case.  Ask if there is any medicals that are still not in.  If so assist Social Security or your lawyer in getting the information.  Make sure to ask if there are any RFC forms from your doctors in the file.  If not get those forms from your lawyer or Social Security and bring them to your doctor and ask him or her to fill it out for you.  These cases can take a long time but you should still stay active in your case.  Checking up on your case every couple of months will insure that all the information that needs to be in your file is in your file.  From my experience those that stay involved in their case have a much better chance of winning their Social Security Disability or SSI benefits.

This week look for a new page on SSDI and SSI disability for depression.  I will include a discussion on Social Security's medical listing for depression.  I will also include information on the evidence you need to prove your case for disability due to depression.  Lastly, I will go over how limitations from depression even if not disabling themselves when combined with other medical condition limitations can be the difference between winning and losing your Social Security Disability benefits.  Also notice there is a new page on back disabilities.

I have not had allot of time to add more information on SSDI or SSI the last couple of days but I plan on working on a page for back disabilities this weekend so check back to see latest changes.

I have added more information on SSI.  I now have an SSI page that explains the eligibility requirements for SSI.  I also explain the difference between SSI and Social Security Disability.  I provide links to Social Security's web site for further research on the subject.