The fact that some people use service dogs should not be overlooked in Social Security disability cases. The use of service dogs for people seeking Social Security disability in Indiana can help establish a severe medical or mental issue. Normally, the people using service dogs must make some showing of…
Articles Posted in Social Security Disability
Schemes to Defraud Social Security Beneficiaries
There are seemingly endless ways to take away the much-needed money belonging to the poor, disabled and elderly. On July 20, 2017, the Acting Inspector General of Social Security, posted a warning on Social Security’s blog (https://blog.socialsecurity.gov/inspector-general-warns-public-about-ssa-employee-impersonation-scheme/). The warning was about a person who impersonated a Social Security Administration employee.…
How are Social Security Administrative Law Judges Hired?
The hiring of Social Security administrative law judges has its origins with the passage of the Administrative Procedure Act (the “APA”) on June 11, 1946. The APA was passed by Congress to allay Congressional, and public concern about the propagation of autonomous federal agencies created as part President Franklin D.…
Thank You To All Who Served
The Social Security Administration has recently changed its rules about the weight it gives to other agencies who have made awards. Before September 2016, the Social Security Administration had regulations, 20 CFR 404.1512(b)(1)(v) and 416.912(b)(1)(v), and a Social Security Ruling, 06-03p, which dealt with the weight given to other agency…
How is Past Relevant Work Decided In a Social Security Disability Case?
The analysis of “past relevant work” in the context of a Social Security Disability case is important. The reason that this analysis is important is that at step 4 of the sequential evaluation process, a determination must be made about whether a claimant can perform his/her past job. There are…
OMB Director May Go After S.S. Disability Beneficiaries
Illustration © Robert Wilson Last week the Trump administration rolled out its first budget proposal. Included in the proposal were deep cuts to the Enviromental Protection Agency (31.4%); State Department (28.7%); Labor Department (20.7%); Agricultural Department (20.7%); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (16.3%) to name a few of the double…
Ice Bucket Challenge, ALS and New Bills in Congress
(Illustration by © voinsveta) Remember back in the summer of 2014 when golf pro celebrities began a “the ice bucket challenge” by either pouring a bucket filled with ice water on their heads or paying $100 (or both) to raise awareness of amyotrophic sclerosis (ALS), sometimes known as Lou Gehrig’s…
U.S. Supreme Court Rule Changes Effective December 1, 2016
Photo by © Andrea Izzotti The U. S Supreme Court back in April 2016 approved three changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. These approved changes are effective December 1, 2016. The changes are to rule 4 (which deals with the time within which a summons needs to be…
Happy Thanksgiving 2016
©Michael Flippo Happy Thanksgiving 2016
Following Prescribed Treatment. What does it mean?
© samrith It is not uncommon in Social Security disability cases that people claim, as part of their disability, intractable knee pain. Their pain becomes worse after sitting for short periods of time and after waling short distances. Standing is out of the question. But what happens if the treatment…