If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347
A service of Hall & Rouse, P.C.. What we cover: Social Security delays and backlogs, Disability Insurance Benefits, SSI disability, Disabled Adult Child benefits, Disabled Widow and Widower Benefits, Work and Social Security Disability, Social Security's telephone problems, Social Security disability hearings, Social Security attorneys, Long term disability and Social Security, VA benefits and Social Security, Workers compensation and Social Security
Monday, September 2, 2024
Thursday, August 29, 2024
What Is Disability Insurance Benefits?
DIB benefits are computed based upon prior earnings. If you have earned more in the past, you get more DIB.
You don't have to be poor to get DIB. It doesn't matter if you have money in the bank and it usually doesn't matter to Social Security if you have a pension.
If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Fibromyalgia
It helps a lot in fibromyalgia cases if the diagnosis has been made by a rheumatologist. The patient with fibromyalgia need not continue to see a rheumatologist. The treatment options for fibromyalgia are quite limited. A family doctor can handle the management of fibromyalgia in most cases.
As in every case, age makes a big difference with Social Security disability cases. Also, Social Security will also look at every other health problem you have. You may be hurting all over but that bad knee may be the part that gets you found disabled. The arthritis in the knee shows up on an x-ray while the fibromyalgia all over doesn't.
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
How Do I Dress For A Social Security Disability Hearing?
If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347
Thursday, August 22, 2024
What Is SSI?
Here are some thing to avoid if you're on or hope to get on SSI:
- Giving away things you own to become eligible for SSI. This doesn't work. It results in long periods of ineligibility.
- Letting others hold money for you so you can go below $2,000. It's still your money so you're still ineligible. If you get some lump sum of money while on SSI or trying to get on SSI, Social Security is going to ask what you did with the money.
- Holding money for other people. That can look like its your money.
What can you do if you receive a lump sum of money while you're on or trying to get on SSI, such as a personal injury settlement or an inheritance? Here are some things that work:
- Pay off your debts, including your home mortgage.
- Make home repairs.
- Replace worn out appliances or furniture.
- Replace your old car with something better.
- Buy some new clothes.
- Spend some money to make a trip to see friends or relatives you haven't seen in a while.
There's way more that can be said about SSI income and resource policies. Consult Social Security or an attorney, like my law firm, if you have questions.
If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Your Medical Condition
There's no simple way of determining whether your medical condition will be enough for you to be found disabled. There's what's called a "Listing of Impairments" at Social Security but those "Listings" are far from the only way a Social Security disability claim can be approved. The "Listings" themselves aren't just a list of names of diseases. Each disease has its own specific criteria for approval and those specific criteria are terribly hard to meet. As an example, you might see leg amputation in the "Listings" but you don't merely need to have had an amputation. In most cases, you'd also have to have problems with your stump that are so bad that you can't use an artificial leg. When an amputee has that sort of problem, in most cases, their surgeon goes back in to modify the stump so they can use an artificial leg. For most of our clients, meeting a "Listing" is impossible.
In the end, it's just complicated. Like it or not, you're probably going to need a lawyer to help guide you through the Social Security maze.
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Avoid Unnecessary Payment Delays
Your solution to this problem is to contact Social Security as quickly as possible after you find out you've been approved if your old bank account has closed. You can give them the new bank account information or let them know you have no bank account so they can send you a check. I do mean that you should contact Social Security right away. Most of the time it takes a month or more before the money comes in but not always. Sometimes, it comes in within days.
By the way, it's not the end of the world if your direct deposit bounces back because your old bank account is closed. It's just going to add a month or two of unnecessary delay.
If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Why Is There A Waiting Period?
You're expecting that there must be some reason you can understand why these waiting periods exist but there really aren't any, at least not any you'll accept.. The waiting periods exist for two reasons. One is to save money. The other is because compromises were made in order for Social Security benefits to pass Congress in the first place. Those who opposed disability benefits and Medicare couldn't prevent passage of the legislation. All they could accomplish was to make it as brutal as possible. Why would members of Congress be so hostile to disabled people? I really can't tell you.
If you think this is awful, let your members of Congress know. They're the ones who can change this.
If you're in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
FAQs On Consultative Examinations
What's a "CE"?
It's an abbreviation for Consultative Examination. It's what they call the exams that Social Security sends you to.
Do I have to go?
Probably. They can turn you down for refusal to cooperate if you don't.
Is it a bad sign if they don't schedule a CE? Or is it a bad sign if they do?
It's neither, really.
Why do they schedule CEs?
In theory, they're doing it because they feel they don't have enough evidence. Sometimes, that's really the case. Sometimes, it seems to be overwhelmed employees scheduling CEs to put your case off for a bit because they are too busy to work to your case. Sometimes, CE scheduling just seems random.
Do the CEs hurt claimants?
Sometimes they hurt. Sometimes they help. Mostly it's neither. You wonder why they wasted the money and time on the CE.
How good are the consultative exams?
Not so great. Nobody goes to medical school to do the CEs especially when you're not paid much to do the exam, which is usually the case. You're not getting the cream of the crop doing CEs. They're mostly going through the motions.
The CE is scheduled at the same time that I'm scheduled with my own doctor. What do I do?
Call Social Security as soon as possible and ask that they reschedule it
My CE was done in a chiropractor's office. Why?
Sometimes doctors moonlight from their regular jobs to do CEs on Saturdays. They just rent some space from a chiropractor.
How do I make a complaint about a CE?
Look at the written notice you received about the CE. It should have a phone number and address on it. That's who you contact to complain. They actually pay more attention to those complaints than you might think.
What kind of mistakes do people make when they go to CEs?
The biggest mistake is fakery. Don't do it. It can really hurt you. If you're asked to do something during the exam, do it to the best of your ability. You can say it hurts but do what you can. Also, don't go in with an angry attitude. That's not a good way to influence the doctor in your favor. Another mistake: Showing up intoxicated for the CE. They're going to notice. Yes, a few people really do show up drunk for CEs.
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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