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LTD and SSD
Most group long term disability (“LTD”) plans require claimants to apply for Social Security Disability (“SSD”) benefits. Most LTD plans reduce your LTD benefits by the amount of your SSD benefits. Even though your LTD plan may have an easier definition of disability to meet than SSD, the former can help establish entitlement to the latter in some circumstances.
I represent a 61 year old former newspaper machinist whose LTD plan required him to file for SSD benefits. The LTD plan defined being disabled as being unable to do your last occupation. A machinist is classified as “medium” work, meaning it required being able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds. The LTD plan concluded that the machinist’s knee and back problems prevented him from being able to perform his occupation.
The Social Security Administration (“SSA”) medical-vocational rules provide that a 60 year old claimant without transferable skills is disabled even if capable of sedentary or light work, which require lifting up to 10 and 20 pounds respectively. Medical records and reports specifically devised by the LTD plan to determine if the claimant could work as a machinist were submitted to the SSA. The SSA quickly approved the machinist’s SSD benefits today. It appears that the SSA accepted the LTD evidence and determination that the claimant could not perform medium work, which then required finding the claimant disabled under the SSA medical-vocational rules.
CIGNA Sued For Surveillance
In Tennessee, CIGNA terminated the long term disability (“LTD”) benefits of an anesthesiologist with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome after being required to attend a functional capacity evaluation (“FCE”) by a physical therapist. The anesthesiologist sued CIGNA and its private investigator for invasion of privacy and civil conspiracy. A Tennessee court refused to dismiss the claims.
The anesthesiologist contended that the videotaping of her FCE unreasonably intruded on her right to seclusion. She argued that her case was analogous to the situation involving intrusion into private medical situations. The relevant case law holds that whether an intrusion would be offensive to persons of ordinary sensibilities is a question for the fact-finder. The court ruled that the case comes down to a question of reasonableness, and that a jury will determine whether the anesthesiologist’s privacy was invaded by considering the degree, context, circumstances, motives, and setting surrounding the intrusion.
CIGNA and the investigator also moved for summary judgment to dismiss the civil conspiracy claim on the grounds that because the anesthesiologist could not establish her underlying claim for invasion of privacy she could not establish a conspiracy to invade the anesthesiologist’s privacy. However, the court concluded that a jury could find that the anesthesiologist’s privacy was invaded.
CIGNA’s then argued that the conspiracy claim had to be rejected because there was no evidence that CIGNA or the investigator knew the FCE clinic had uncovered windows, and that the investigator “simply got lucky” when he went to there and was able to film the anesthesiologist. The court also rejected that argument finding that it overlooked that CIGNA ordered the surveillance, scheduled it for when the FCE was to take place, identified the location for the FCE, and fully or reasonably expected that the FCE would be filmed by the investigator. Thus, the court also held that the conspiracy claim would have to be decided by the jury.
Attorney Advisors
One way to avoid the long wait for a hearing on your Social Security Disability (“SSD”) appeal is to ask an attorney advisor to consider issuing a fully favorable decision. Since an attorney advisor, who is a staff attorney at the hearing office, looks at claimant files before an administrative law judge (“ALJ”) does, asking the attorney to issue a favorable decision is even more expeditious than asking an ALJ to do so.
An attorney advisor can approve an SSD application based on new evidence, or any error indicating that a fully favorable decision should be issued. The attorney advisor can request additional evidence or schedule a conference with the parties, although the latter is rare.
I received a fully favorable decision today from an attorney advisor for a 57 year old former sewing machine operator based on a Findings Integrated Template (“FIT”) that I submitted three months earlier. A FIT is essentially a fill in the blank form that the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) uses to facilitate issuing favorable decisions by converting the proposed FIT decision submitted by the claimant’s attorney into the attorney advisor’s decision. Thus, instead of having to wait one to two years for a hearing, the proposed FIT decision and use of the attorney advisor enabled the claimant to be approved for SSD benefits in only three months.
The SSA regulation authorizing attorney advisor decisions is set to expire August 10, 2011.
Social Security Doctors
When filing for Social Security Disability (“SSD”) benefits, the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) usually asks claimants to be examined by one of its doctors in what is referred to as a consultative examination (“CE”). The SSA leads claimants to believe that their SSD application will be denied if they refuse to attend the CE.
The SSA rules and regulations actually provide for relatively few situations where a CE would be appropriate. In general, if a CE is actually needed, then it is supposed to be performed by a treating doctor. Nonetheless, in almost every case, claimants are sent letters telling them that they must go to a CE by an unnamed doctor.
I represent a 59 year old teacher who was told that she must attend a CE by Industrial Medicine Associates (“IMA”). After I sent a detailed letter explaining why the rules and regulations showed that such a request was inappropriate, the CE demand was withdrawn, and she received a check for SSD benefits today.
The state agency, which requests the CEs, and IMA, have both told me that CEs are routinely scheduled on every case. I represent a former nurse whose SSD benefits were also approved today, and she was never sent a notice to attend a CE. Therefore, it cannot be said that SSA policy requires a CE in every case.
While there are some circumstances when a CE is needed, since the CE reports normally indicate that the claimant is not disabled, a CE by a non-treating doctor should be attended only if the request is authorized under the SSA rules and regulations.
Unum Reverses Termination
I represent a former advertising executive whose long term disability (“LTD”) benefits were terminated by Unum after its in house psychiatrist rejected the opinion of the claimant’s treating psychologist. Unum had repeatedly approved LTD benefits based upon the treating psychologoist’s summary narrative reports and responses to Unum’s form questionnaires. Unum terminated benefits after its psychiatrist issued a medical report that concluded the claimant was no longer disabled.
The report from Unum’s psychiatrist set forth eight reasons why the claimant was not disabled. Fortunately, the treating psychologist continued to support the claimant’s inability to work, and provided a detailed report that rebutted each of the eight reasons espoused by Unum’s psychiatrist. Without being able to rely on the report of its psychiatrist any longer, Unum reinstated the claimant’s LTD benefits.
LTD insurance companies always defer to their doctors’ opinions. Therefore, in order to succeed in reversing an adverse determination, you need to ensure that the treating doctors specifically address and rebut each of the contentions that the insurer relied on to rationalize its denial or termination.
Electronic Records Express
Applications for Social Security Disability (“SSD”) benefits can now be filed on the internet, as can all subsequent documents through Electronic Records Express (“ERE”). When using ERE, you receive a receipt that confirms the date and time of the filing. Unfortunately, the ERE receipt fails to ensure that the records you submit will be seen by an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) .
The last two weeks I had three hearings with two ALJs from the Brooklyn hearing office. I submitted on the record requests (“OTRs”) to have the applications approved without the need for a hearing, and received ERE receipts for the OTRs.
Last week, the first ALJ said that the OTRs were not associated with the files until the morning of the hearings, and he would have approved them if he had seen them earlier. Today, the second ALJ said he never saw the OTR, even though he said the ERE receipt that I showed him was in order. Additionally, after the hearing office sent me a CD Rom copy of the file last month, I had refaxed the OTR a second time after discovering that it was omitted from the file. The ALJ also said that had he seen the OTR he would have approved it.
ERE cannot be relied upon to guaranty that your OTR or medical records will be placed into the hearing file. To make certain that the ALJ will review the documents you submit you still need to call the ALJ’s assistant to ensure that they are associated with the proper file.
Multiple Impairments
Unlike some disability programs, you can receive Social Security Disability (“SSD”) benefits if the combined effect of all your impairments renders you disabled, even if no single impairment is disabling by itself. I received a notice of award today for a 61 year old former school clerk that illustrates this point.
The claimant’s SSD benefits were approved four months after her application was filed, which is fairly quick. I submitted reports from four of the claimant’s treating physicians that each addressed different impairments. The oral surgeon’s report addressed TMJ, the pain management specialist’s addressed cervical radiculopathy and headaches, the psychiatrist’s addressed mental disorders, and the orthopedist’s addressed herniated cervical discs and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Although the restrictions and limitations that each impairment caused may have been borderline, the combined effect of all of the impairments showed that the claimant was unable to perform any type of work on a full time basis. While the claimant may ultimately have succeeded in obtaining SSD benefits based upon only one doctor’s report, it is highly unlikely that the claimant’s application would have been approved in only four months if all four of the physicians’ reports had not been submitted. The goal in every case should not merely be winning, but winning as quickly as possible.
- Lupus Anticoagulant
- Consultative Exams
- 45 Days Means 45 Days
- Updating Opinions
- SS Approves Long COVID
- Compassionate Allowance
- SSD and Retirement
- Consistency and Persuasiveness
- Multiple Impairments
- Growing Dire Need
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Treating CE
- Long Covid Financial Duress
- Aid for Long COVID
- Federal Court Remand
- Another Win in Federal Court
- ANS Disorder
- Pain Management
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Disabling Migraine Headaches
- LTD Buy Outs
- Covid Long Haulers
- Remand for Benefits
- Prostate Cancer
- More Good News?
- SS Commissioner Fired
- COVID Long-Haulers
- SDNY Affirms SSD Win
- Prudential Approval
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- We Take Care of Our Own?
- Mystery Solved
- More State Agency Deceit
- SSD Hearings
- Some Good News!
- Medical Consultant C. Levit
- COVID19 Impacts SSD
- Prudential Approval
- CDC's Response to COVID19
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes
- COVID19 Bill
- Kudos to CALJ Wexler
- COVID19 Repercussions
- Coronavirus
- Getting It Right
- DaTscan
- Adult Disabled Child
- SSD Approved in 1 Week
- State Agency Doctors
- SS Benefits in Danger
- Proposed Changes to SS and Medicare
- 6 Years for Approval
- Exhaustive Hospital Records
- Expert Interrogatories
- Surveillance Report
- SSD Approved in 2 Months
- Unum Pays
- Bipolar Disorder
- “Reserved” to the Commissioner
- SSD Approved in 4 Months
- Videotaping IMA
- Frontal Lobe Syndrome
- Fahr's Syndrome
- Initial SSD Approved
- Inconsistent, But Favorable Decision
- SSD and Working
- U.S.D.J. Azrack Reverses ALJ
- Objective Testing
- U.S.D.J. Amon Reverses ALJ Iwuamadi
- Proposed SS Rule Hurts
- Borderline Age
- The Wait Is Killing Them
- IMA
- Erythromelalgia
- Limbic Encephalitis
- Government Shutdown & SS
- Consussions
- Migraines
- Physician Assistants
- SSA Stay Denied
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
- Bipolar Disorder
- SS Benefits Increase
- Dysautonomia
- Young Person Granted OTR
- Earnings After Onset
- Patchogue Obstruction
- Washington Times Article
- Medical Sources
- Lourdes Marasigan
- Lump Sum Settlements
- Partially Favorable Decisions
- No Help for SSD Backlogs
- Fast SSD Approval
- Vocational Experts
- Disability and Medicare
- IMA Disability Services
- NYSLERS & SSD
- Help for SSD Benefits?
- Vocational Expert
- Supporting Records
- Budget Cuts Increase Wait Times
- Support Letters
- SSD For MS
- Misconceptions About SSD Continue
- Patchogue Fails Again
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Lupus
- SSD Delays
- WC Medical Opinions
- Government Targets the Disabled
- Another SSD Myth Busted
- The Truth About SSD
- SS Benefits 101
- Increase in SS Denials
- Best Time to Apply for SS
- Parkinson's Disease
- SSA in Crisis
- SSD Reform Needed
- Applying for SSD Benefits
- Headaches
- Disabling Fibromyalgia
- Garnishing SS Benefits
- Nurse Practioners
- Trump Hurt Disabled Workers
- Expediting Hearing
- Social Security Fraud
- Congress Can End SSD Backlog
- Tips for Retirement Benefits
- Social Security Backlog Continues
- Income and Disability
- ALJ Found Scleroderma Disabling
- More SSD Delays
- ODAR Rumor
- SSD Approval Rates
- National Adjudication Team
- Second Circuit Case
- Prudential LTD Fraud
- District Court Rejects SSA Denial
- Work Record
- Macroprolactinoma
- Jerome Caiati
- Importance of Diagnostic Testing
- SSD Approved In 2 Months
- Unemployment Benefits Do Not Preclude SSD
- ALJ Relies On Disgraced “Medical Expert”
- SSD Approved for Crohn’s Disease
- NYSLERS
- Claimant Credibility and Work History
- NYS OTDA Fraud Update
- SSD Approved in Less Than Months
- Combined Disabling Conditions
- Lymphedema
- Significant Weight Suffices
- Combined Disabling Conditions
- Cancer Claims
- Deceptive Insurance Practices
- Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome
- DDS Continues to Purge Evidence
- Proposed LTD Regulations
- Reliance Approves LTD After Deadline
- Approval for Toll Collector
- The Consequences of SSD Delays
- Acupuncture
- SSA Continues Prejudicial Policy
- Psychotherapy Notes
- Vocational Evidence Determinative
- Treating Doctor Testimony
- IMA Notices
- SSA Delays
- SSA INTENTIONALLY INCREASING DELAYS
- New IMA Fraud & Worse
- Mental Health Records
- CROM Testing
- Padro: Relief too little, too late
- IMA Evading Law Again
- SSD for School Custodian
- 28 Months For Approval
- SSD With No Hearing
- State Agency Analyst Lied
- Social Security Backlog
- Social Security Backlog
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Renamed
- Go Figure
- IMA Disability Services
- Sadistic IMA Conduct
- A Padro Success
- Disability for Breast Cancer
- Continuing Disability Review
- CIGNA Reverses LTD Termination
- Disability Hearing Witnesses
- The State Agency Concedes
- Social Security Fraud
- Congress Killing Disability
- Binder & Binder Bankruptcy
- SSD In Less Than A Month
- Hearing Wait Gets Worse
- Internists’ Disability Opinions
- Binder & Binder Goes Bankrupt
- SSA Form 821
- Dementia
- Sensorineural Deafness
- CIGNA Says Claimant Cannot Do Any Work
- Biased SSA Review Policy
- Pseudarthrosis
- Proper Hearing Notice
- Video Taping Consultative Examination
- Antiphospholipid Syndrome
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- SSA Still Not Using eCAT Properly
- Supplemental Hearing Cancelled
- Establishing Mental Disability
- Passive Income
- Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis
- SSD For Landscaper
- Disability Retirement Approved Without A Hearing
- SSD for Cement Truck Driver
- USDC Reverses ALJ Wolfe
- Disability Etiology
- Unum Field Visit
- Disability Benefits for Truck Driver
- Autoimmune Hepatitis
- Establishing Mental Disability
- Unum Reapproval
- Medicaid Disability Determinations
- Patchogue Problems Persist
- Benefits Turned On Vocational Error
- SSA Staff Attorneys
- Disability Benefits While Working
- Scleroderma
- Agoraphobia
- Padro Deadline
- State Agency Reports Misrepresentations
- Amending Onset To Avoid Hearing
- Carpenter Avoids Disability Hearing
- Brugada Syndrome
- Disabling Mitral Valve
- SSA Secret Rule
- The Electronic Claims Analysis Tool (eCAT)
- If You Die Before Benefits Are Approved
- Media Deception
- CIGNA Reverses STD & LTD Decisions
- Disabling Sleep Apnea
- Padro Settlement Agreement A Joke
- Appealing Partially Favorable Decisions
- Social Security in the News
- Hoppenfeld Refused To Comply With Padro
- Social Security Benefit Increase
- Reopening Prior Application
- Wegener's Granulomatosis
- SSA “Quality” Review By QRB
- Dire Need
- Padro Settlement Approved
- Social Security Increase
- Government Shutdown
- Reviewing An Employer’s Work Description
- Podiatrists
- Off Task
- Social Security Reconsideration
- Fully Favorable Decisions
- Operative Reports
- Unusual SSD Approvals
- Risky Side Effects
- ALJ Strauss Claimants
- Unsuccessful Work Attempt
- Unum Pressures Doctors
- Patchogue Continued Ineptitude
- Is Strauss Serious?
- Is It The New Commissioner?
- Padro Class Action Problem
- Padro Class Action Hearing Next Week
- Replace UNUM
- Expediting SSD Hearings
- Court Said IME Doctor Lied
- Continuing Disability Review
- Podiatrists
- Connect The Dots
- Unum Ordered To Produce Witnesses For Depositions
- Social Security Form DDD-3883
- Acceptable Medical Sources
- Petition Regulators About Unum
- Consultative Exam Withdrawn
- Padro Class Action Notices
- Rejecting SSA Remand Offer
- CIGNA Regulatory Settlement
- Polymyositis
- NOSSCR Conference
- SSA Misinformation
- Padro Class Action Settlement
- DDS Actually Listened
- Padro Class Action Update
- Same Day SSD & DI Award
- SSD for Letter Carrier
- Illusory Unum Approval
- Work History & Credibility
- Lupus
- Thank You Judge Irizarry
- Crohn’s’ Disease
- Work History
- Eliminate the SSD Waiting Period
- Urinary Incontinence
- SS Retirement or Disability?
- Ignoring Unreasonable Requests
- Officer Approved in 2 Months
- PADRO Class Action
- Updating Evidence
- SSD & Chiropractors
- SSD Approved In Under 2 Months
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Queens ALJ Bias Plaintiff
- Breast Cancer
- CIGNA LTD Fraud Template
- Unsuccessful Work Attempt
- Why DDS Denies SSD Claimants
- Partially Favorable Onset Appeal
- Treating Physician Rule
- FCE Spurs Unum Approval
- Commendable Action By ALJ
- ERISA Exception
- Importance of Vocational Evidence
- State Agency Exam Notices
- SSD Approved In 3 Months
- Social Security Myth
- Subpoena Leads to SSD Award for Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Another CE Problem
- Appeals Council Remands
- Social Security & The Presidential Election
- SSD Claimants Need To Review Their Efolders
- Firefighter Awarded SSD
- Obesity & Disability
- Videotaping IMA Consultative Examinations
- Biased Hoppenfeld Decision Reversed
- IMA Disability Services
- Carpenter Wins SSD For Wrong Reason
- Padro ALJ Bias Class Action To Be Settled
- Binder & Binder Replaced
- If at first …
- IMA Disability Services
- The Office of Medical and Vocational Expertise
- Newsday Article
- The SSD “12 Month Rule”
- Medical Expert Interrogatories
- Patchogue Ineptitude
- Emphasizing Work History
- Reopening Disability Applications
- What is NY Waiting For?
- When Objective Evidence Isn't Enough
- Disability Benefits For Nurse
- Bench Decision
- Hearing Avoided
- Disability Pension Award From Union
- IMA Exams In New York
- AARP On SSD
- How Much Will Social Security Pay You?
- SSD & Unemployment Benefits
- State Agency-IMA Bad Faith Tactics
- Why Bother With An Exam By IMA?
- Workers Compensation & SSD
- Hoppenfeld Bias
- Veteran Gets SSD for Memorial Day
- Vocational Evidence
- Establishing Mental Disability
- IMA Exam Is Not Required
- Postherpetic Neuralgia
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Disabling AION
- Proof of Birth for SSD
- Corroboration is not Superfluous
- Social Security Listings
- CIGNA CONTINUES ILLEGAL CONDUCT
- Fast SSD Approvals
- Impaired Use of Hands
- Representative Payee
- Onset Appeal
- Amending SSD Onset Date
- State Agency Vocational Experts
- Causation and Social Security Disability Benefits
- Alport Syndrome
- David Nisnewitz Found Unfit To Be ALJ Again
- Reopening SSD Applications
- Another Example of ALJ Fier's Bias
- Physician Specialty
- Medical Source Statements
- Podiatrists and Disability Benefits
- Retaining Social Security Experts
- Transparent Hoppenfeld Bias
- State Agency Disability Analysts
- SSD & WC
- SSA Should Reimburse Travel
- Disability Benefits For Carpenter
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- SSD Approved in Two Months
- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
- Veterans Medical Source Statements
- Disabled by Schizophrenia
- Receiving SSD Benefits and an Income
- Vocational Credibility
- SSD For Police Officer
- Kienbock's Disease
- Patchogue Incompetence
- Binder and Binder
- Appeals Council Doltishness
- NYCERS Disability Pension
- Can You Receive SSD If You Have Income?
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Multiple Impairments
- Adverse Evidence
- Cerebrovascular Accident & SSD
- Was A Video Hearing Needed?
- NOSSCR Conference
- SSD Approved in 2 Weeks
- SSD Approved In 2 Months
- Disability and Diabetes
- Social Security Benefit Increase
- Vocational Experts
- IMA Consultative Examinations
- Hoppenfeld & The Rotation Policy
- Alzheimer’s
- Federal Court Reassigns Nisnewitz Case
- Approval After Federal Court Remand
- Abusive Hoppenfeld Conduct
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- SSD Overpayments
- LTD Approved In Less Than A Month
- Maximizing Disability Benefits
- Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
- When To Amend The Disability Onset Date
- Right To Cross Examine Post Hearing Experts
- Commissioner’s Statement Is Offensive
- Gilding the Lily
- SSD Approved in 2.5 Months
- When to File for SSD
- Disability & Incontinence
- Hoppenfeld Fibromyalgia Bias
- On The Record Requests
- LTD Approved In Two Months
- Work History
- Relocating While Disabled
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Getting Disability Benefits Quickly
- SSD Approved in 3 Months
- SSD Approved In Two Months
- SSD & WC Offset
- Disability Analysts
- Federal Court Decision
- Social Security Depravity
- Depression and Anxiety
- Fully Favorable Appeals Council Order
- Erythema Multiform Major
- SSD in Three Months
- Lincoln Life Pays LTD Benefits
- Acquiring Work Skills
- Court Rejects CIGNA LTD Termination
- Disability Benefits & Substance Abuse
- Endometriosis
- SSD Approved In 2 Months
- Raising The Retirement Age
- No More Paper Checks
- Treating Doctors
- SSA Prehearing
- Disability Redefined
- Consultative Examinations
- Evidence of Hoppenfeld Bias
- ALJ Nisnewitz Rejected Again
- ALJ Bias Class Action
- Working And SSD
- ALJ Bias In Queens
- Federal Court Decision
- ALJ Strauss Rejected Again
- Seven Year Wait Over
- Lyme Disease
- ALJ Strauss Reversed Again
- Remand To A New ALJ
- “Secret” Child’s Benefits
- Unfair CIGNA Tactics Detailed
- LTD Policy Offsets
- Partially Favorable Decisions
- SSD While Working
- Expediting Disability Benefits
- Multiple sclerosis
- Date Last Insured
- Radiculopathy
- Videoconference Hearings
- Expediting Disability Benefits
- Patchogue Incompetence
- Federal Court Decision
- Union Disability Approved
- SSA Notice of Awards
- SSA Doctors
- Protective Filing Date
- SSA Delays
- On The Record Requests
- Dialysis & Disability
- Disability Opinions & Medical Tests
- LTD and SSD
- CIGNA Sued For Surveillance
- Attorney Advisors
- Social Security Doctors
- Unum Reverses Termination
- Electronic Records Express
- Multiple Impairments
- Income Doesn't Bar Disability Benefits
- Celiac Disease
- Proving Disabling Pain
- EAJA Fees
- IMA Disability Services
- Self Employment
- Medical Listing Opinions
- Treatment Records
- Avoiding SSD Hearings
- Federal Court Remand
- The MTA & SSD
- When Work Doesn’t Count
- Gastroparesis
- Sjogren's Syndrome
- Benefits After A Federal Court Remand
- Firefighter Gets SSD Benefits
- Prudential Approved LTD, For Now
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Getting Benefits While Working
- EAJA Fees
- Stroke
- New Jersey District Court Remand
- District Court Remand
- ALJ Hoppenfeld Overtly Acts Biased
- Veterans
- NYCERS & SSD
- Medical Evidence and Functionality
- Deceptive SSA Notices
- Onset Date
- Queens ALJs
- When Can You File For SSD Benefits?
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Consultative Exam (“CE”) Ruled Improper
- EAJA Fees
- Consultative Examinations
- New Office
- Complaining About Biased ALJs
- IMA Disability Services
- Multiple Impairments
- NYCERS
- Primary Care Physicians
- Social Security Rulings
- Anxiety
- Fibromyalgia
- Retrospective Medical Opinion
- Disability For Federal Employees
- The Grids
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Adult Disabled Children
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth
- Depression and Anxiety
- RSD/CRPS
- Getting SSD Even If You Can Work
- Health Insurance For Children
- Health Insurance For Children
- Settling With CIGNA
- Avoiding An Improper Consultative Exam
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Protective Filing Dates
- SSD Delays
- Reopening Past SSD Denial
- ALJ Strauss’ Reliance On ME Cohen’s Testimony Proves She Is Biased
- Listed Impairments
- Multiple Medical Sources
- Attorney Advisors
- Avoiding Consultative Examinations
- Atypical Parkinson’s
- Chondromalacia
- Subpoena The SSA Doctor
- Prudential Reverses Fibromyalgia STD & LTD Denial
- ALJ Nisenewitz: Stupid or Biased?
- LTD & Health Insurance
- Courts Rules CIGNA Is Biased
- SSD & Taxes
- ALJ Hoppenfeld Must Be Barred From FMS Cases
- Don’t Believe Everything You Read
- On The Record Request
- Avoiding SSD Remand Hearing
- NYCERS Disability Retirement
- Submitting Medical Records
- CIGNA Ordered To Pay For Its Actions
- Oops, CIGNA’s Done It Again
- Hearing Office Attorneys
- Hearing Notice
- Appeals Council Rebukes ALJ Fier
- Unsuccessful Work Attempts
- Medical Assessments
- Disability & Downsizing
- Consultative Examinations
- Obama Disability Benefit
- Court Blasts CIGNA LTD Benefit Termination
- Obama and Social Security Benefits
- “Fully Favorable” Decisions
- SSD Secret
- Notice of Dismissal
- Initial SSA Decisions
- Appeals Council Scolds ALJ
- Unum Cases In New York
- Medical Evidence
- Prior Applications
- Disability is Functionality
- Medical Records & Reports
- Social Security Files
- Applicaiton Filing Date
- Representing Yourself
- Disabled Voters
- Vertigo
- Multiple Impairments
- Myasthenia Gravis
- More Is Better
- Disability Benefits & Work
- SSA Medical Reports
- Negotiating Disability Benefits
- Consultative Examinations
- GMA Exposes CIGNA
- Work History
- Onset and Application Dates
- Supreme Court Helps LTD Claimants
- Expediting SSD Cases
- Two Heads Are Better Than One
- LTD Litigation
- Retrospective Medical Opinions
- Establishing An Onset Date
- Field Visit
- Multiple Attorneys
- Self Employment
- Special Accommodations
- Multiple Disability Benefits
- Clarifying Objective Evidence
- “Fully Favorable” Decisions
- Treating Sources
- SSD & Mental Disability
- Using Vocational Evidence To Expedite Benefits
- Attorney Adjudicator
- Past Earnings
- Benefits Without A Hearing
- Irrelevant Medical Conditions
- Establishing Credibility
- Medical Updates
- No Health Insurance
- Application Dates
- Possible Delay Remedy
- Unum Reassessment Loophole
- Benefits Despite Income
- Consultative Examinations
- “Accentuate The Positive, Eliminate The Negative”
- Dire Need
- How To Avoid Hearing Delays
- Police Disability
- Seminar
- Expediting LTD Benefits
- Uveitis
- TBI and Vocational Evidence
- Failure To Receive Notice
- Mental Disorders
- Inability To Speak English
- Discovery In ERISA Cases
- Don’t Be Intimidated By DDS
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Avoiding Hearings
- Working Does Not Preclude Benefits
- Be Wary of Forms
- Exam Secrets
- SSD for Firefighter
- Consultative Examinations
- Purpose of SSD Hearing
- Why Wait?
- Insurance Department Complaint
- Overreach For Disability Retirement
- Vertigo
- No Objective Testing Required for Chronic Fatigue
- Non-binding Disability Decision
- Always Check The Listings
- LTD & SSD
- Avoid Early Retirement
- Getting Benefits Faster
- Medical Records & Reports
- Corroborating Physicians
- Unemployment Benefits
- Miano v. Barnhart
- Benefits Despite Working
- Work History Credibility
- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
- Arthritis Foundation