The Houston Social Security lawyers at The Law Offices Of M. Stanley Whitehead are pleased to note that Social Security Administration announced a new initiative this week that will expedite disability claims for some veterans. The new process will classify veterans who have a disability compensation rating of 100% Permanent and Total (P&T) with the […]
Changes Underway for Social Security Disability
There are several changes underway in how the Social Security Administration determines eligibility for disability benefits. The Houston Social Security attorneys at The Law Offices Of M. Stanley Whitehead recognize these as significant for those who are currently and will in the future need benefits. Here are some of the key SSDI changes that are […]
Traumatic Brain Injury Among Young Workers Increases Disability Risk
Disability can be even more devastating when it affects a young worker. According to a study, when workers between the age of 16 and 24 suffer a brain injury, there is a significant toll on workers’ compensation costs as well as costs from lost days at work. The study finds that there is a significantly […]
Can I Get Workers’ Comp and Social Security Disability Benefits at the Same Time?
When a person suffers a work injury, filing a workers’ compensation claim is often among their first concerns. If that injury is so severe that they are no longer able to work, they may also need to pursue avenues for disability benefits. A common question that injured workers have is, “Can I get workers’ comp […]
Social Security Disability — How long does it take to get a decision?
The current average time to get a decision on a Social Security disability claim is 298 days. And in Texas an average of 37% of cases are approved. A Social Security Disability claim starts with an initial application. It takes approximately 3 to 5 months to get a decision on the initial application. If you […]
What is Social Security Disability?
The Social Security Disability program is made up of 2 different programs: SSI (Title XVI) and SSDI (DIB) (Title II). SSDI/DIB is similar to a long-term disability insurance policy. To qualify, you have to have worked for 20 of the last 40 quarters before becoming disabled. The amount of the monthly check that you will […]
Disability Benefits provide a Lifeline for the Disabled
Here is a thoughtful and accurate critique of last week’s NPR series about the Social Security Disability program. As I noted last week, the reporting did not accurately discuss some of the aspects of the Social Security Disability programs. This blog, posted by Diana Sorrento for the Utica Observer Dispatch, points out that the NPR series failed […]
Moving from welfare to disability
The NPR series on disability continued today with a profile on companies that move disabled workers from state unemployment and welfare to the federal Social Security Disability program. These companies help people navigate the disability system in ways that are similar to how attorneys help disabled workers navigate the system. Like the company in this […]
Disability Attorneys and Social Security Disability
NPR’s series on the rise of people receiving Social Security Disability continued yesterday with a report on disability attorneys. As the report points out, hearings before the Social Security Administration are not adversarial. The report also notes that appealing a denied claim to the hearing level can increase a claimant’s chance of receiving benefits by […]
The Rise of Social Security Disability Claims
NPR is doing a series this week on the increase in the number of people receiving Social Security Disability. NPR went to Hale County, Alabama where 1 in 4 people are on disability. This is a very interesting report, but it leaves out some important factors. First, this report fails to talk about the requirements […]