Articles Posted in Social Security Disability Insurance

We have been hearing a lot about problems in the Social Security Administration (SSA) over the past year.  Some of the issues involve allegations the multiple administrative law judges (ALJs) were engaging in inappropriate behavior with respect to staff and disability claimants.

These cases were brought to light by various employees who informed the SSA Office of Inspector General (OIG) about one ALJ that was allegedly sexually harassing disability claimants and his coworkers and another judge that was improperly denying claims.  We also heard that the agency was purposely mishandling claims to save money by paying out less in benefits. Continue reading

Crowd source online funding campaigns are getting increasingly more popular these days.  While we first saw these services used for new inventors trying to raise the money to develop prototypes and get their new ideas to markets, we now typically see these funding campaigns when someone becomes serious ill or a family suffers some other type of tragedy.

While these online funding campaigns can certainly be helpful and can result in a lot of money being raised, they can also result in the termination of Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) benefits, according to a recent report from AOL News. Continue reading

According to a recent article from GoUpstate.com, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are a lifeline to those who are too young to retire, but can no longer able to work due to an injury or illness. The article takes a look at what happens when you work for a living for many years and that hard work takes a real toll on your body and you can no longer work and earn an income.

There are some that suffer a muscle and skeletal breakdown for many years of working.  Others will become sick with an acute illness, such as cancer or organ failure, have a stroke, or be in a car accident.  While there are possibly lawsuits that can be filed and workers’ compensation, you may eventually be out of options and need help to make ends meet. Continue reading

While the United States Social Security disability program has become somewhat of a partisan issue in recent years, it once had a broad base of support from both sides of the aisle.  This was certainly true when it was created, and the enabling act was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956.  When it was first created, there was a six-month waiting period to get benefits, there were no benefits to children or spouses, and the program was only available to adults 50 years of age and older.

Over the past several decades, there have been a lot of changes to the program.  Formally, there were two separate programs created.  One is called the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, and the other is the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.  The SSDI program is the larger of the two programs and is designed to pay benefits to working Americans who have become disabled and can no longer work and take care of themselves and their families. Continue reading

In Harvey v. Colvin, a case from the United Sates Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, claimant applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, and his application was rejected.  The federal agency responsible for running this and other disability programs is the United States Social Security Administration (SSA).

In this case, claimant asserted that she suffered from various severe impairments, including a mood disorder, anxiety, lasting effects from a brain tumor that had been removed, various spinal conditions including scoliosis, and various other medical conditions.  However, the SSA found she was not disabled, because, while her medical conditions were in fact severe, they were not listed impairments. Continue reading

In Igo v. Colvin, a case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, claimant appealed the United States Social Security Administration’s (SSA) denial of his application for disability benefits.

Claimant filed for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits because he had been suffering from painful osteoarthritis in his hip, as well as degenerative disorder of this hips, chronic shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and various other musculoskeletal disorders. Continue reading

There is an oft-made argument this election that many people receiving disability benefits would rather sit at home and collect a monthly benefits check than go work.  This could not be farther from the truth, as the vast majority of people on disability would much rather be healthy and working than collecting a Social Security disability check.

There are a few reasons we know this to be true.  One is that when Congress set up the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) systems, they set the monthly benefits award at an amount lower than what they consider substantial gainful activity.  In fact, they wanted the maximum benefits award to be around 80 percent lower than what someone could make if they were working.  The reason for this is very clear in that they do not want any extra incentives to sit at home and collect an SSDI benefits check instead of working. Continue reading