Social Security Disability
When filing a case to receive Social Security disability benefits, your Ocala disability attorney will prepare you for what to expect at trial regarding your medical history. In some instances, the judge will ask no questions asked about your medical history, as he or she may have the records of medical professionals, hospitals and anyone else who might have provided treatment. The records may be allowed to stand on their own. Your Ocala Disability Lawyer Must Make Your Medical Records Available to the Judge Your Ocala disability lawyer is responsible for ensuring that the medical records that the judge requires are placed in the hearing exhibit file. If these records needed, your attorney must also provide explanations from your doctor…Read More
The success of your Social Security disability hearing hinges on how well you and your attorney prepare for it. Your Ocala disability lawyer will look over your file and determine what is necessary to win your case, as well as the best way to prove it to a judge. Your attorney should gather medical reports, physician's reports and any other pertinent information. Likely, your attorney will prepare you for the hearing by meeting with you at least a day before and communicating with any witnesses who are expected to testify on your behalf. Gathering Witnesses Before the Hearing Your job before the hearing is to determine who will make truthful, helpful witnesses for your case. An ideal witness is someone who…Read More
If you have filed a claim for Social Security disability, testifying at your hearing can be daunting. Experienced Ocala, FL disability attorneys can help. What Will the Judge Ask Me? As your Ocala, FL disability attorneys will explain, you can generally expect questioning in these areas: employment history education medical history and list of current symptoms your description of your work limitations your day-to-day life What Should I Say? Your job is to tell the truth as fully as possible, in your own words. Do not try to guess the judge's motives. Answer the questions you are asked in a forthright manner. Your Ocala, FL disability lawyers will counsel you not to embellish or be overly dramatic about your symptoms.…Read More
If you have missed a deadline to submit an appeal, an Ocala Social Security disability appeal law firm attorney can explain to you what the Social Security Administration deems as acceptable reasons for late appeals. Using the wrong reason could cost you your claim. An Ocala Social Security Disability Appeal Law Group Attorney Discusses Good Cause Before you miss an appeal, be sure to talk to an Ocala Social Security disability appeal law firm lawyer about your disability case. However, following are a few examples of valid reasons for missing appeal deadlines: You were very sick and unable to contact the SSA or your Ocala Social Security disability appeal law group attorney face to face, by phone, by mail, or through a…Read More
As you move toward your disability hearing, you are probably wondering exactly how the judge makes his decision. The attorneys at your Florida Social Security disability law firm will be your greatest resource for information, as the process can be very complicated and difficult to understand. I Can't Find a Job—Will I Be Find Disabled? Not necessarily. As your Florida Social Security disability law firm attorneys will explain, the reality is that whether or not you are found disabled has nothing to do with your actual ability to find a job. Rather, the judge cares only whether there are any jobs that you are able to do. Does My Past Work Matter? Yes, the work you have done in the past 15…Read More
If you are unsatisfied with a decision after your disability hearing, you can ask for the Appeals Council to review the decision. Your Social Security lawyer in Ocala, FL can explain that the Appeals Council will not always take on the case; therefore, the decision made by the administrative law judge may stand, subject to a review by the court. If the Appeals Council does review the decision, the result could be that the council agrees with it, changes it, reverses it or calls for it to be discussed at a new hearing. Sometimes, on motion alone, the Appeals Council will review the judge's decision and then either decide positively or negatively on behalf of the claimant. A claimant can submit…Read More
If you have missed the 60-day window during which you are required to file an appeal for your disability denial, your Ocala, Florida Social Security appeal attorney may be able to help. There are certain circumstances in which a deadline extension is allowed. What Is Good Cause? Your Ocala, Florida Social Security appeal lawyer will explain that the SSA will only extend the deadline for appeal if you have submitted a letter that demonstrates you had good cause to miss it. The rule regarding good cause states that the SSA will take into consideration the cause of the late filing, any instances in which you were misguided by the SSA, and any misunderstanding you may have had about the deadlines in place.…Read More
As your Florida disability appeal attorney can explain, physical abilities—sitting, standing, walking, lifting, bending, working with your hands—are the most prominent factors in determining a person's disability. It is more difficult when dealing with mental impairments. A Florida Disability Appeal Lawyer Understands What Must Be Proven Whether you are not able to perform specific types of manual labor due to a heart issues, breathing problems, back injuries, or another medical condition, your Florida disability appeal lawyer can advise you concerning what must be proven to be found disabled. For example, a person under the age of 50 must prove that he or she is not capable of doing a job that would be considered easy and requires sitting down, or a job…Read More
A disability lawyer in Ocala, Florida can advise you on the criteria the Social Security Administration uses to determine disability: Listing of Impairments Medical-Vocational Guidelines Listing of Impairments Your disability lawyer in Ocala, Florida can explain that the Listing of Impairments are medical findings which, if you have any of them, determine that you can be found disabled even without knowing whether or not you can do your previous relevant job. The listings can be found online at: https://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/index.htm There are two different classifications for meeting the criteria on the list: Meet the Listings—Your disability meets the criteria set forth on the list. Equal the Listings—Your impairment is as severe as a particular impairment on the list. Medical-Vocational Guidelines If your…Read More
As Ocala, Florida disability law firm attorneys are aware, the fundamental problem with filing a claim with the Social Security Administration (SSA) is its large size. The SSA has over 57,000 employees, as well as a separate SSA Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) with approximately 8,000 employees, including 34 administrative appeals judges and around 1,300 administrative law judges. Moreover, as your Ocala, Florida disability law firm lawyers can tell you, there are over 14,000 state agency employees all over the country involved in making disability determinations under the administrative law judge level. Who to Contact? It is difficult enough for an experienced disability attorney to determine whom to contact about a client's particular case. Attempting to do this…Read More