CAN YOU REALLY HAVE IT BOTH WAYS? The federal-state unemployment insurance program provides cash benefits to eligible workers. While state law determines eligibility for unemployment benefits, generally you must be unemployed through no fault of your own. In most states, you will have to represent that you are able to...
5 Things to Look For Before Hiring a Social Security Lawyer
Scarcely a month goes by without my hearing the following sad mantra from a social security disability applicant regarding their appeal to the Appeals Council or the Federal Court after denial of a claim: “I saw/heard a very professional looking/sounding ad on TV/Radio/Internet, called them and signed up. They seemed...
Understanding the Similarities and Differences Between SSDI and SSI
You may have heard of disability benefits, though you may have questions regarding the regulatory maze that disabled individuals must work through to obtain them. A major area of confusion is the distinction between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplementary Security Income (SSI). Both programs are administered through the...
Social Security Disability Versus Veterans Disability Benefits
If you served our country and suffered a serious injury during combat, or developed a debilitating injury or condition after being discharged, you may be tempted to pursue both Social Security and veterans’ disability benefits. It is quite common for veterans to have claims going on simultaneously. You can receive...
Vocational Experts at Social Security Hearings
It is unusual to have a social security hearing without a vocational expert present to offer testimony. Very often, the vocational expert makes or breaks your social security claim. The vocational expert, hired by Social Security, assists the Administrative Law Judge by analyzing your residual functional capacity (advising the Judge...
Social Security Disability Fund May Be Exhausted in the Near Future
After running through five consecutive years of deficits, many experts anticipate that the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Trust Fund is about to run dry in roughly two years. If Congress fails to take necessary action before 2016, there may be a 19 percent cut to SSDI benefits across the...
Common Reasons Why a Social Security Disability Claim is Rejected
Social Security Disability Insurance (commonly referred to as SSDI) is a federal program run by the Social Security Administration that provides monthly disability benefits to people who become disabled before their age of retirement and cannot earn enough money to support themselves. However, as per the latest statistics, almost one-third...
How to Qualify for Supplemental Security Income in Florida
If you are blind, elderly, and/or disabled and already receiving Social Security disability benefits, you may be able to qualify for Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”). SSI does exactly what its name implies - it supplements your income to cover necessary expenses. (more…)
COPD May Constitute an Impairment for SSD Purposes
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Almost 1.2 million Floridians suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. COPD is an umbrella term that refers to a group of lung diseases that block airflow and make it difficult for an individual to breathe. Two of the most common conditions that make up COPD...
No Benefits, No Fee – Why You Should Hire a Social Security Disability Lawyer
Many Floridians mistakenly believe that if they hire a lawyer to handle their Social Security disability claim, they are going to have to pay a big retainer fee or a huge sum of money per hour for the lawyer’s services. This misconception is understandable since the stereotype of lawyers is that...