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Sometimes paperwork errors occur which cause SSD benefits to be delayed. You should receive your first benefits check within 2 or 3 months of the approval date. If this does not occur, you and/or your Ocala, Florida disability lawyer should look into the matter. The Notice of Award You should receive the Notice of Reward within 45 days of your approval. SSA recommends that claimants who do not promptly receive this notice send a fax to the office handling the case. This may be the Office of Central Operations in Baltimore, MD. Send the fax to the appropriate processing unit, called a module. Your Social Security number will determine which module is handling your claim. If you do not receive…Read More

Many claimants do not hire an Ocala, Florida disability attorney until they receive a denial. The initial application process is fairly straightforward, but once your claim has been turned down, you may need to consider legal assistance, especially when you are called to attend a hearing. Before the Hearing Consider just what needs to be done to win your claim. What needs to be established, and what evidence needs to be gathered? In a nutshell, this is largely what your Ocala, Florida disability attorney will work on before you attend the hearing. More specifically, he will do the following: Obtain pertinent reports from your treating physician(s) Refer you to a specialist for additional tests Seek an evaluation of your inability…Read More

The Social Security Administration uses a five step sequential process in evaluating disability claims. Ocala, Florida disability attorneys are particularly adept at helping claimants who, for certain reasons, are initially denied benefits. From the outset, however, it is important to note that you must be unable to work any job for at least 12 months to qualify. Non-Disability Requirements SSA has two programs: SSD and SSI. In order to qualify for SSI a claimant must meet specific asset and income requirements. Claimants for SSD, the more usual route for disability claims, must have paid Social Security taxes for a minimum number of quarters to qualify. If you have questions about this or other issues regarding qualification, Ocala, Florida disability attorneys…Read More

The means by which the Social Security Administration decides eligibility are based upon two sets of regulations, the Listing of Impairments and Medical-Vocational Guidelines. An Ocala, Florida Social Security disability attorney can help you to explain on your initial application how you meet these requirements, and assist in appeals if your claim is denied. The Listing of Impairments Generally a person is found disabled by SSA using criteria which include the condition itself, along with a combination of age, education, and what is termed residual functional capacity. If your condition is present in the Listing of Impairments, however, you will be deemed disabled without regard to whether or not you can perform at a job you have held in the…Read More

Claimants are often anxious about the prospects of appearing for their SSD hearing. Be assured, these hearings are not will be by your side. Those Allowed to Be Present Generally the list of individuals present at a disability hearing is short: the administrative law judge, his/her assistant, witnesses, your Ocala, Florida Social Security disability lawyer, and you. If you would like to have someone present as an observer, you will need to gain permission from the judge. Moreover, if you wish that a particular witness not be present during your testimony, you need to make the request to the judge; you should have no problem getting approval for such a request. Presence of Witnesses Not all judges allow witnesses to…Read More

Nearly all who suffer a disability experience fatigue. This, in itself, can significantly impair your ability to perform routine tasks and preclude you from living a normal life. Your Ocala Social Security disability lawyer will prepare you for the hearing before the administrative law judge, where you can be certain you will be asked in-depth questions about how fatigue has affected you. Sample Questions While the judge will question you, your Ocala Social Security disability lawyer will be on hand in case any issues arise. The following is a sampling of the kinds of questions the judge may ask you regarding fatigue. Onset of Your Fatigue Describe your fatigue. When did it begin? What is the nature of your fatigue…Read More

When you meet with your Ocala disability attorney, she will explain to you how the administrative law judge (ALJ) will question a vocational expert (VE) during your hearing. A VE is a person who testifies at your disability hearing on behalf of the Social Security Administration regarding the types of jobs available in your field and howyour limitations affect your ability to carry out your necessary job duties. If your ability to perform your past relevant work is an issue, the ALJ will ask the VE if, hypothetically, a person with your limitations could perform your past relevant job. This means, the ALJ will ask a question framed like this: Can a person [insert your limitations] perform the job of…Read More

There are many advantages to having an experienced Ocala Social Security lawyer who will represent you during your Social Security disability hearing and appeals process. However, one thing your Ocala Social Security lawyer cannot do is to speed up the system and get a decision to you in a quicker manner. Why It May Take a Long Time to Get a Decision There is no way for you to really know how long it will take before the administrative law judge issues a decision in your case, but you should expect it to take a long time. Although your Ocala Social Security lawyer can assist you in preventing any delays in setting a hearing date, once your attorney presents his…Read More

Your Ocala Social Security disability lawyer may present testimony from lay witnesses (that is, witnesses who are not experts) at your Social Security disability hearing. Because of the importance of this testimony, your lawyer may ask your family members, friends, former co-workers or neighbors to testify about your impairment.  These lay witnesses may be able to offer helpful testimony on the following issues: Your Past Relevant Work The Social Security Administration regulations provide that your Ocala Social Security disability attorney can, with your permission, present testimony “from your employer or other person who knows about your work, such as a member of your family or a co-worker” regarding your past relevant work. This testimony can be significant if you need…Read More

With its many criteria and guidelines, Social Security disability cases can be confusing for claimants. To get a better understanding of how you can meet their requirements, consult with your Ocala disability attorney. The Americans with Disabilities Act Has Different Requirements A memorandum to staff and judges from the Associate Commissioner of the Social Security Administration emphasized the fact that ADA and the disability provisions of the Social Security Act have separate purposes and do not directly apply to each other. For instance, the ADA defines “disability” in terms of the capacity to do what it describes as “major life activities,” which is different from how “disability” is defined in the Social Security Act. The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)…Read More