My colleague, San Francisco California Social Security disability attorney Geri Kahn, publishes an interesting and thoughtful Social Security disability blog that I read regularly. This past April, she published a post that should be required reading for all disability applicants. Entitled “Four Misconceptions About the Social Security System,” Geri succinctly discusses several issues that lead [...]
Filed under Back problems and disability, Strategies for winning by 
Here is a question I received from a multiple sclerosis patient who is preparing to apply for Social Security disability and is hoping to win her case early. Jonathan, First, I want to thank you for putting valuable information about the SSDI process online. I was diagnosed with MS in 1993. I recently left work [...]
I regularly receive questions about auxiliary Social Security disability benefits. Often these questions are from divorced persons who are struggling with the cost of raising a child, while the disabled, non-custodial parent has not been cooperative with regard to auxiliary benefits. Recently I received the following question: i have a 15 yr old son. my [...]
Doctors play a pivotal role in the social security disability process. Their contributions of expertise and documentation provide insight to an applicant’s mental and/or physical condition, and this insight may prove useful when a social security adjudicator is reviewing a claimant’s file. In essence, what a doctor’s contributions to a claimant’s disability file can influence [...]
Filed under medical records, Migraine Headaches and disability, Strategies for winning by
This afternoon, I tried an SSDI case involving a 53 year old woman claiming disability based on diabetes and associated complications. In reviewing the record it appears to me that my client had been diabetic for several years prior to her diagnosis and has most likely suffered permanent vision and nerve damage. Unfortunately her medical [...]
In a recent post on the importance of claimant credibility, I made a point that your ability to effectively describe your physical pain at the hearing may play a role in helping you win your case. Since physical pain is common to many disability cases, I want to elaborate on this point. Not only should [...]
Filed under Fibromyalgia and disability, Strategies for winning by
Hello and welcome to the 7th installment of my Q & A series, which is designed to cover some of the more elusive topics associated with the Social Security Disability claims process. In this post, I discuss what types of medical providers are deemed as “acceptable medical sources” by the Social Security Administration. Question: I [...]
I have written extensively on this blog about the claim processing delays that continue to plague Social Security disability. I suspect that there are a lot of folks out there who are suffering and struggling trying to stay at work, perhaps at the expense of their health, because they are concerned that if they stop [...]
Filed under Case studies, Delays, Diabetes and disability by
Hello and welcome to the 4th installment of my Q & A series, which is designed to cover some of the more elusive topics associated with the Social Security Disability claims process. In this post, I answer a question asked about the Medical Expert witness (ME). Question: I have a disability hearing scheduled for next [...]
Filed under Medical experts, Multiple Sclerosis and disability by
Hello and welcome to the 3rd installment of my Q & A series, which is designed to cover some of the more elusive topics associated with the Social Security Disability claims process. In this post, I will discuss the term “medically determinable,” another one of those unique Social Security terms that people often have questions [...]
Filed under Migraine Headaches and disability, Strategies for winning by
