You Don't Have To Pay Upfront To Hire A Social Security Attorney

     You can't be too poor to hire an attorney to represent you on your Social Security disability claim. There's no upfront money to be paid. The attorney gets one-quarter of the back benefits that have accumulated up to the date you get approved. You also have to reimburse the law firm for anything they'd had to pay to obtain medical records. There's no fee if you lose.

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

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If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

You're Not The Only One Waiting And Waiting

 

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

"What Do They Want Me To Do?"

    Many of my clients ask me "What do they want me to do?" These clients' financial situations are rapidly deteriorating. They're desperate to receive the benefits they need and deserve so they can avoid complete destitution.

    The question assumes that someone at Social Security actually cares about their fate. Unfortunately, no one at Social Security cares. They just do their jobs as best they can in an overwhelmed system that wasn't set up to care about individual claimants. 

    Unfortunately, the answer to that question "What do they want me to do?" is that if they want anything it's for you to go away and quit bothering them. You have to have the courage to say "I'm not going anywhere. I'm sticking it out until I get the benefits I deserve."

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

N.C. Medicaid Now Covers Weight Loss Drugs

    N.C. Medicaid is now covering GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy. There are many severely obese N.C. residents who are on Medicaid who might benefit from such drugs.

    The odd thing about this is that the N.C. state employees health care insurance was recently changed to deny coverage for Wegovy and similar drugs.

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

Who Runs The Show At Social Security?

Martin O'Malley

    The guy running the show at Social Security is Martin O'Malley. He's the Commissioner of Social Security. He's a former governor of the State of Maryland. 

    O'Malley is no dictator. For some things, he needs the approval of the White House. More important, Congress has to appropriate operating funds for the Social Security Administration. Lack of adequate operating funds really limits what O'Malley can do. He'd like to hire about 10,000 more employees so the phones get answered and you can be seen quickly if you visit a Social Security office and so that the current backlogs throughout the agency disappear but Congress won't let him. Don't blame O'Malley for all the backlogs and service problems at Social Security. It's not his fault. Blame Congress.

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

What Happens If I Die Before Social Security Finds Me Disabled?

     The fact that I hear this question fairly regularly tells me that many people who file Social Security disability claims feel gloomy. I wish I could cheer you up and tell you this never happens but it does, probably not nearly as often as you think, but it happens and there are rules for what Social Security does when it happens.  I have to divide the answers up into SSI and non-SSI Social Security disability claims since there are different rules.

Non-SSI Social Security disability claims -- Disability Insurance Benefits, Disabled Widow and Widower Benefits, Disabled Adult Child Benefits -- The money is paid per a list of priorities written into the Security Act. Here are the priorities:

1. The surviving spouse who was either living in the same household as the deceased at the time of death or who, for the month of death, was entitled to a monthly benefit on the same record as the deceased;
2. Children who, for the month of death, were entitled to a monthly benefit on the same record as the deceased;
3. Parents who, for the month of death, were entitled to a monthly benefit on the same record as the deceased;
4. A surviving spouse not qualified under 1. above;
5. Children not qualified under 2. above;
6. Parents not qualified under 3. above; or
7. The legal representative of the deceased person's estate.

     If more than one person qualifies in the category, such as two or more children, they split the amount of back benefits between them.

SSI Disability Claims -- For adults who have died, the only person to whom the back benefits can be paid is a surviving spouse who was living with the decedent at the time of death or within six months prior to death. If there isn't a qualifying surviving spouse, the benefits aren't paid. For child SSI claimants (and we're really getting gloomy here) back benefits can be paid to a parent who was living with the child at the time of death or within six months prior to the date of death.

There's an application form for the back benefits when someone with a Social Security disability claim dies.

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-844-425-5347

Field Offices Closed Today

    Due to a widespread computer problem, Social Security field offices are closed today.

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

Is It The End If The Judge Turns Me Down?

     No, it's not necessarily the end if one of Social Security's Administrative Law Judges turns you down. You can always appeal or, in most cases, you can file a new claim.

    An appeal goes to Social Security's Appeals Council. Unfortunately, the chances of success at the Appeals Council are quite low. If it happens success generally means that the case gets sent back for another hearing before the same judge. However, once denied by the Appeals Council it is possible to sue Social Security in federal court. The chances of success in federal court are not bad if an attorney can find significant errors in the judge's decision. At this level, it's not so much a question of whether you're disabled as it is a question of whether the judge made mistakes in writing the decision. A win in federal court generally means that the case is sent back for a new hearing before the same judge. The process of taking a case through the Appeals Council and federal court can take more than two years. However, once you get past the Appeals Council, you may be able to file a new claim even if your case also goes to federal court.

    If you're not appealing or if you have appealed but the Appeals Council has turned you down you can file a new claim as long as you don't have what's called a "date last insured problem." There are several types of Social Security disability benefits. The most common of these is Disability Insurance Benefits or DIB. To get DIB, in most cases, you have to prove disability within about five years after the last time you worked. If this five year time period has elapsed before you get denied by a Social Security judge, you probably won't be able to get anywhere with a new claim for DIB. They'll say that it's a matter that's been adjudicated finally. However, SSI may still be available. A new claim currently takes two to three years.

    I'm sorry if this sounds complicated but this is about as simple as I can make it. This is why you need to hire an attorney.

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

How Do I File A Claim For Social Security Disability Benefits?

     A lot of people who need and deserve Social Security disability benefits don't know how to get started or they try to get started and run into obstacles. Here's the three ways you can file a claim with the pros and cons of each:

• File your claim online. Here's the link. Pros: You don't have to leave your home. You have proof positive that you filed your claim. Cons: Unless you have pretty good computer skills, you'll probably run into obstacles and give up. 

For some people filing online is a great choice but not for most people.

• Call Social Security to schedule an appointment to file a claim. Here's the number. 1-800-772-1213. Pro: You don't have to leave home. Con: Contacting Social Security by telephone is a nightmare. You may get put on hold for an hour only to have the phone line suddenly go dead. People spend days and days trying to call Social Security. Even after you get through, they may not call you when they're supposed to or you may not be able to complete the paperwork they send you. You may give up if you go this route.
  

Unless you get lucky when you call them or you just can't leave the house, trying to do it over the phone is a bad choice.

• Go to the Social Security office in person to file the claim. Pro: Somebody will see you eventually and you'll get it done. Cons: You'll have to leave the house and you'll probably have to wait for an hour or two to see someone.

Going to the Social Security office in person is the best choice for most people. It's a little inconvenient but it usually beats the alternatives..

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-844-425-5347

Having Trouble Finding An Attorney To Represent You? Call Us

     Don't get discouraged if you've tried to hire an attorney for your Social Security disability case and couldn't find one. Different law firms have different standards for making these decisions. I'd say one man's trash is another man's treasure but you're no trash! If you're in N.C, we'd be happy to talk with you even if you've been turned away by other law firms.

    I just had a hearing with a client who was previously represented by another firm which withdrew from representing her because the case seemed weak to them. It seemed strong to me. I expect we'll win.

    And if you had a hearing and were denied, we'd be happy to talk with you even though your old law firm didn't want to keep working with you on an appeal or new claim.

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

Is Diabetes A Disability?

    Is diabetes a disability? Absolutely. Diabetes causes disabling health problems for many. However, a diagnosis of diabetes does not guarantee approval of a Social Security disability claim. It all depends upon how badly diabetes is affecting a person. There are plenty of people who have early, well controlled Type 2 diabetes who wouldn't know they had it if a doctor hadn't told them. There are others with diabetes who are in terrible shape.

    What kinds of things do Social Security look for in a diabetes case? Evidence of some of these problems associated with diabetes:

• Peripheral neuropathy -- numbness, tingling, burning in the feet and occasionally in the hands
• Poor blood circulation
• Vision changes
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Diabetic gut
• Difficulty controlling blood sugar -- persistently high A1c
  
• History of diabetic ketoacidosis (if your blood sugar was so dangerously high that you were hospitalized, probably you were in or near ketoacidosis)

     In addition to the diabetes, Social Security must consider your age, education and work experience as well as any other ailments you have.

   You can get on Social Security disability benefits for diabetes but you shouldn't expect a quick, easy win. You're probably going to need an attorney

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

What Do You Like And What Do You Dislike?

    I could use feedback from readers of this blog about what they like and what they dislike. What would you like to see more of? What would you like to see more of? How well can you understand what's being posted here? What would you like for us to write about?

    Use the comment button below. It's all anonymous unless you particularly want to leave your name.

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

What About Those Illegal Immigrants That They Say Are Drawing Social Security Benefits? It's A Lie

     Many people keep saying that Social Security is going broke because it's paying money to illegal immigrants. Many people say a lot of things that aren't true and this is one of them. I don't know what to call it other than a lie.

    The Social Security Act very specifically forbids paying benefits to anyone in the U.S. illegally. Period. This isn't debatable. It's just a fact. They don't pay benefits to illegals.

    In fact, illegal immigrants HELP the Social Security trust funds by working and paying FICA taxes but never drawing benefits.

    I can't make you believe it if you don't want to but those are the facts.

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

Happy Independence Day!

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-844-425-5347

Have You Found That Notices From Social Security Are Hard To Understand?

     This is what Social Security's Commissioner had to say recently about his own agency's notices:

The notices that we send out, I have described them as Mad Libs written by mad lawyers that confuse, they scare, and most people have a difficult time understanding what many of these notices even say.

 

If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347

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