Resources
Attention to details can make all the difference in your Social Security disability case. Our Ocala Social Security disability lawyer can help clients find witnesses who can testify on your behalf. The Reliability of Lay Witness Testimony Lay witness testimony can help the Social Security Administration make a decision in your case as a non-medical person explains how the injuries or illness affects an applicant and their ability to work. Testimony from these lay witnesses might include a claimant’s efforts to work, their restrictions, limits on daily activities and other relevant factors. For example, family members might describe the difference in abilities before and after an accident. Lay Witnesses Can Help Prove Your Case The SSA will focus on determining…Read More
If you suffer from a mental disorder, an experienced Ocala social security disability lawyer will work with you obtain the appropriate SSD benefits. An Ocala Social Security Disability Lawyer Discusses Mental Disorder SSD Cases Your lawyer is no stranger to cases involving mental disorders; they are some of the most common impairments cited in SSD cases. In fact, it's not rare for psychological issues to emerge in physical impairment cases, since chronic physical problems will inevitably affect your mental health. The Social Security Administration will deny a number of these cases, which will then move to the hearing level. The SSA uses complex rules to determine whether you qualify for disability benefits for your mental disorders. Your lawyer may use the…Read More
According to a Social Security lawyer in Ocala, understanding the Medical Vocational Guidelines will help you have a greater knowledge on decisions made by the Social Security Administration regarding limitations and disability. Medical Vocational Guidelines and RFCs Two main assessment guides are used to make determinations of limitations and disability. Your exertional level is assessed to establish a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC). Your Social Security attorney in Ocala would tell you that the disability evaluators then use the Medical Vocational Guidelines to further evaluate your limitations. "The grids," as the Medical Vocational Guidelines are called, help evaluators determine whether you are disabled. A Social Security lawyer in Ocala says the 3 charts that make up the grids use various combinations…Read More
As part of your SSD case, you must take a consultative examination at the request of the Social Security Administration. If you are represented by an Ocala Social Security attorney, he or she will be able make arrangements for the exam, but you can ask your own doctor to perform the exam if you prefer. An Ocala Social Security Attorney Explains Who Will Conduct Your Consultative Examination Independent doctors and psychologists in private practice will be chosen by the Social Security Administration to perform consultative examinations and submit reports. The SSA will make arrangements for you to be examined by a doctor with applicable skills and credentials. They will also try to schedule your examination at a location close to…Read More
Are you applying for SSI benefits for your child? An Ocala disability lawyer guides you through the process and helps ease the process towards receiving benefits. You will need to supply detailed information regarding the medical condition of your child and how this condition affects your child’s ability to function on a regular basis. Your attorney will need information from any or all of the following people who work with your child: Doctors Teachers Therapists Other professionals with information on your child’s condition As for evidence, the Social Security Administration may inquire to receive any of the following: Medical records School records including but not limited to report cards, disciplinary and attendance records and evaluations The opinions, in writing, of…Read More
Even if your medical impairment is severe and debilitating, it might not be enough to qualify for Social Security disability benefits. There is also a duration requirement for disability, which says that your medical impairment must have lasted or be expected to last for 12 continuous months. Your Ocala disability lawyer will explain what this requirement means for your case. Some medical impairments are known to wax and wane or go through periods of brief remission before returning. Generally, impairments like these will still qualify for disability if you and your Ocala disability lawyer can show that you have had the disability for 12 months or expect it to last that long. However, one thing you are not allowed to…Read More
Many claimants and their attorneys experience difficulties and frustration when dealing with the Social Security Administration. To understand why it is so problematic to deal with the SSA, it is important to recognize that the agency is a large bureaucracy. The SSA employs over 57,000 people, including 14,000 state agency employees, 1,300 administrative law judges and 34 administrative appeals judges. Organizations of this size often struggle with inefficiency, lack of information and excessive complexity. In addition to its large size, the agency’s programs are complicated. The two disability programs, SSI and Social Security disability, are the most complex of all programs handled by the SSA. What all this complexity means for claimants and their Florida disability attorneys is that it… Read More
Part of the Social Security Administration’s eligibility determination process involves what is termed residual functional capacity. Despite how complex this sounds, your RFC is the maximum you can do while on the job, given your impairment. Whether you are initially applying for benefits or are appealing a denial, RFC is only one criterion used to determine whether you will receive SSD. A Florida disability attorney can help you, particularly if your claim has been denied. Use of the Checklist by the SSA The SSA will assess your medical records in determining whether you will be deemed eligible for benefits. In some cases you might have to submit to a consultative examination by a doctor who is employed by the SSA.…Read More
Are you involved in a disability case? A Florida disability lawyer knows how the judge in your case determines disability. Disability Hearing with an Administrative Law Judge Your case will likely be seen by an Administrative Law Judge. This judge will have the responsibility for determining whether or not you are disabled. The process for making this determination is technical, complicated and often not logical. Determining Eligibility for Social Security Disability Benefits Any determination of disability is hypothetical, meaning that it does not necessarily have anything to do with the real world. For example, you may think that you cannot get a job because of your disability, but the court may think otherwise. The Social Security Administration is not concerned…Read More
An Ocala Florida Social Security disability attorney can answer a client's questions about their hearing. Preparing for the Room in Which the Hearing Will Be Held An attorney from the Ocala Florida Social Security disability law firm will describe the room in which the hearing will be held. It is generally a typical conference room. There might be an American flag or the Social Security Administration's seal, but little else. There will be a conference table. A second, smaller table might be in the room for the assistant to the judge. The judge's desk will usually be higher than the other tables in the room. Understanding the Recording Devices There will be recording equipment in the room. You must speak in a…Read More