Social Security Disability- Tips to help you win your case

Listed below are tips on documenting the frequency, severity, and duration of your symptoms and limitations caused by your diagnosis:

What You Should be Documenting: Document everything that prevents you from working. It is very important to document why your chronic pain or fatigue is different from what the average person experiences. Most people experience some degree of pain or fatigue from time to time, so you need to be able to distinguish your degree of pain and fatigue from the average so your doctors and the judge can get an idea of why your symptoms prevent you from working at any job. For example, if your pain is so frequent, severe, and lasts so long that you need to lie down several hours each day, then the Social Security Judge may understand that your pain is disabling and will prevent you from working at any job.

Obtain a Copy of Your Medical Records from Your Treating Physicians: Obtaining a copy of your treating physician's medical records will give you an idea of whether your symptoms or limitations are being properly recorded. You may be surprised to find that your symptoms or limitations have not been recorded by your doctor. Also, your doctor's notes may be illegible. Illegible handwriting is a real problem. Judges who decide your disability case generally do not try too hard to decipher what the doctor's notes say. If this is an issue, make an appointment with your doctor and explain the importance of the documentation for your case. Hopefully your doctor will be willing to improve the way he documents your symptoms and limitations. This can be the difference in winning and losing your case.

Keep a Diary of Your Symptoms and Limitations Before Your Next Doctor's Visit: Keep a short diary of your daily life before your next doctor's appointment. The diary entries should be short and simple. Document if you cannot get out of bed due to your chronic pain or fatigue. Document if you were only able to sleep for two hours the night before and then had to take naps the next day. Document migraine headaches that last three days even though you took your medication. By documenting your symptoms or limitations, you will be able to give your doctor a list of how these affect your daily life.

If you or a loved have applied for Social Security Disability you should consult with an experienced Michigan and Arizona Social Security Disability attorney. Allan W. Ben P.C. is a Michigan and Arizona Social Security Disability law firm which can help you or your loved one with their case. We handle cases all over Michigan including Oakland County, Wayne County, Macomb County and Livingston County. We also handle Social Security cases in Scottsdale and Phoenix, call are office toll free at 866-540-0677, by email at mailto:info@allanwbenpc.com , or www.allanwbenpc.com

Michigan Social Security Disability Appeal

When you apply for Social Security Disability benefits, there is a good chance that your application will be denied. Frequently deserving cases will be denied because the Social Security claims agent does not have medical records or other documentation to fully evaluate your claim.

If you are denied, do not give up. You can and should appeal your denial by filing a request for reconsideration within 60 days after receiving your denial. If your reconsideration appeal is also denied, you can and should request a hearing before a Social Security judge. Here, too, you have 60 days to file an appeal.

When you request a Social Security hearing, your case will be assigned to an administrative law judge in your community. Unlike the Social Security claims agents, Social Security judges have much more decision making power to approve your case. In most cases, you are better off retaining a lawyer to represent you in a hearing before a judge.

You should mail your appeal to the appeal address shown on your denial notice, preferably by registered mail, return receipt requested.

If you have misplaced the address for appeal, call SSA at 800-772-1213 to ask for a mailing address. Otherwise, look up the address in the phone book. If you are nearing the 60 day deadline, hand deliver your appeal to your nearest Social Security office and make sure to get a receipt for your filing.

Even if you send your appeal to the Social Security Administration at the wrong address, your appeal date will most likely be protected as long as someone, somewhere at Social Security received it. Even a fax will suffice.

Similarly, if you cannot download the appeal form, prepare something in writing that references your name and Social Security number along with a statement that you want to appeal, and get it to SSA.

You should always file your appeal within 60 days. It usually takes 1 to 2 years for your Social Security Disability appeal to be heard. During that time your condition(s) could get worse or you could get a new condition that will strengthen your case.

Call your Michigan Social Security Disability attorneys today at 1-866-540-0677 to help you file for Social Security Disability benefits if you suffer from a physical or mental illness. If you are in Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County or anywhere else in Michigan and need help with your Social Security Disability case, contact our office at mailto:info@allanwbenpc.com

Michigan Long-Term Disability victory

I have been representing a client in his claim for long-term disabilit benefits. He sufferes from a cognitive disorder that has not fully been determined by his doctors to what caused him to have this medical problem. He has severe problems processing. If you ask him a question, it will take him several minutes to give you an answer. He also has memory issues. His doctors have some theories on why this is happening to him, but do not no yet for sure what caused this. His doctors do not believe that he has Alzheimer's. This has also caused him to have panic attacks. When I first started the claim it was against Aetna, but my client's employer changed their long-term disability carrier over to Met Life.

The key to having this long-term disaiblity claim approved was working with his doctors. I made sure to get his doctors to write reports on his behalf which detailed his disability.

Call the Law Offices of Allan W. Ben P.C. today, your Michigan Long-Term Disability attorneys at 1-866-540-0677 to help you with your Long-Term Disability case. If you are anywhere in the United States: Ohio, Arizona, New York, Illinois, Florida, in Michigan- Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County, Livingston County, Grand Rapids, Traverse City or anywhere else in Michigan and need help with your ERISA case, visit our website at www.allanwbenpc.com or contact our office at mailto:info@allanwbenpc.com

Michigan Social Security Disability Initial Application

If you are disabled and think you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits, your first question may be, "how do I begin the application process?" The process begins with educating yourself on the eligibility requirements. There are many free resources available on the internet, including our firms website, http://www.allanwbenpc.com/

You can also contact a professional representative such as an attorney’s office who represents clients in Social Security Disability cases. I do not believe that you should contact a Advocacy group, they are not trained in the law. The lawyers at Allan W. Ben P.C have years of experience winning Social Security Disability cases. At Allan W. Ben P.C., we work with first time applicants or those interested in appealing their Social Security Disability application that was denied. Our lawyers will walk you through the process to determine if you are eligible for. If so, we offer to be your representative through the process, helping you submit your initial application for Social Security Disability Benefits, collect medical evidence, and appeal your denied claim in court if needed.

Applying on your own exposes you to the risk of not winning your case, or not winning in the first round, which may delay receipt of your cash benefits for years.

Call your Michigan Social Security Disability attorneys today at 1-866-540-0677 to help you file for Social Security Disability benefits if you suffer from a physical or mental illness. If you are in Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County or anywhere else in Michigan and need help with your Social Security Disability case, contact our office at mailto:info@allanwbenpc.com

Social Security Disability Checks will soon be directly deposited

It was recently announced that beginning on March 1, 2011, Social Security checks will no longer be mailed out to new recipients of disability benefits.

The Treasury Department recently announced that all United States Government benefits payments will be made electronically to beneficiaries via direct deposit or onto a special debit card. Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims allowed on or after March 1, 2011 will be affected. Those whose disability claims were allowed before that date will have until March 1, 2013 to make the conversion if they are receiving their checks in the mail.

For those who do not have a bank account into which the benefits can be deposited, the Treasury Department has a Direct Express debit card to which payments will be made. That same card also accepts payments of Veterans benefits, Unemployment benefits, and Railroad Retirement benefits.

The reason for the move to paperless transactions is because it is believe that it will improve government efficiency and reduce costs normally associated with manually sending those checks in the mail. An estimated $48 million is expected to be saved annually on postage alone, and it will reduce or eliminate the problems associated with lost checks and fraud.

How to hire a Long-Term Disability Lawyer

Why should you hire a National long term disability lawyer if you have an LTD claim? It's not at all hard to answer this question. Long term disability insurance companies are notorious for the tactics they employ against disabled workers who have become sick or injured LTD insurance carriers are more concerned about their profits than their claimants.. Their methods used to deny LTD claims include surveillance of a claimant's activities, digging into a claimant's personal life (banking, credit, and personal activities), and the use of stalling tactics that are designed to push LTD applicants to the very edge, both financially and emotionally.

Finding an experience attorney for your Long-Term Disability case requires asking specific questions to determine which attorney may be best for you. Choosing the wrong attorney may ultimately cost you your LTD/ ERISA case.

Having an attorney on a Long-Term Disability case can help you improve your chances of winning in this manner: the attorney will review your medical records and advocate on your behalf. But, more than that, a LTD lawyer will provide an incentive for an LTD carrier to properly evaluate your claim.

Long-Term Disability cases can be an intimidating process and should not be handled without an experience Nationwide Long-Term Disability Lawyer. There is no area of the law which cases requires more paperwork or forms, and which involves as much raw human emotion. As a result, a Long-Term Disability case can be confusing, time consuming, and often, very costly financially and emotionally. As a result, choosing a lawyer may be the most important decision you make in your entire case.

Not every lawyer is a good fit for every person. You must be sure that your philosophy of how to approach and handle your case matches the temperament and practice philosophy of your lawyer. As a result, you must ask questions that reflect your specific concerns.

A good lawyer will:
a. help you to understand and focus on the issues of your divorce without losing sight of the emotional nature of the proceedings;
b. help prepare your case for court, in case it becomes necessary to take your case to court;
c. provide prompt and courteous responses to your questions; and
d. work with you and your doctors. To choose an attorney you should find more than one candidate to interview.

The best way to find a good lawyer is to ask for a recommendation from someone you know and trust. However, don't just get names form your friends. Instead, ask them detailed questions regarding the specific strengths and weaknesses of the attorneys they recommend. If you still need more prospects, you may locate a lawyer through your local bar association's attorney referral service or through an internet listing service.

Most lawyers will offer a free initial consultation. You should speak with the lawyers that you intend to interview in advance regarding any costs associated with your first meeting. Meeting with a lawyer may seem intimidating. To ensure that you are prepared, you may wish to make out a list of questions or points that you would like to raise in the interview. Additionally, if you have already been served legal papers, bring them to the interview along with any correspondence or other relevant documents. This will allow the lawyer to assess the potential issues in your case.

Call the Law Offices of Allan W. Ben P.C. today at 1-866-540-0677 to help you with your Long-Term Disability case. We are a National Long-Term Disability law firm, our lawyers have years of experience fighting on behalf of clients who are applying for Long-Term Disability. We will aggressively represent you in your case. If you are anywhere in the United States: Ohio, Arizona, New York, Illinois, Florida, in Michigan- Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County, Livingston County, Grand Rapids, Taverse City or anywhere else in Michigan and need help with your ERISA case, contact our office at mailto:info@allanwbenpc.com

Will Congestive heart failure qualify you for Social Security Disability?

Congestive heart failure (CHF), also known as congestive cardiac failure (CCF) or simply heart failure, happens when the heart is unable to pump a healthy flow of oxygen-rich blood throughout the rest of the body. Although the name implies that the heart has failed or stopped, this is not actually the case; the heart continues beating and there is no chest pain associated with congestive heart failure. Instead, the blood flowing out of the heart is simply slowed down.


Congestive heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization in those over 65 and can happen for a myriad of reasons, from heart defects, infection in the valves or lungs, high blood pressure or thyroid disease to narrowed arteries, disease of the heart muscle or valve, chronic anemia, coronary artery disease or scar tissue left from a past heart attack. Whatever the initial cause, the heart muscle becomes damaged and blood flow slows.

The cause of congestive heart failure is due to either systolic dysfunction, which is due to the pump function of the heart failing, or due to diastolic dysfunction, which is caused by a stiff ventricle wall that is not relaxing properly. In the case of diastolic dysfunction the result is a low stroke volume.

Signs of congestive heart failure are dependent upon which side of the heart is affected and can range from a shortness of breath, tiredness and poor circulation to dizziness and weight gain caused by fluid retention and swelling in the legs and ankles. To clinically diagnose congestive heart failure an ultrasound may be used to determine the amount of blood that is being pumped with each heartbeat, an X-ray may be used to detect the size of the heart, an electrocardiogram may be used to determine abnormalities or blood tests may be performed to show infection.

If congestive heart failure is diagnosed, doctors will normally suggest rest, a healthy diet, weight loss and less sodium and water intake. Depending upon the cause of congestive heart failure, they may also prescribe various drugs such as beta blockers, diuretics, vasodilators, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or digitalis. In some cases a valve may need replaced and if congestive heart failure is allowed to go unchecked and causes irreparable damage to the heart, it may result in a heart transplant.

To properly evaluate disability claims for CHF, the Social Security Administration (SSA) usually needs at least three months of detailed records describing your medical history, physical exams, lab studies, and response to treatment. A record of your medical findings over an extended period of time is called "longitudinal medical evidence."

The reason SSA looks at your condition over an extended period of time is to see if your ability to function despite your condition will stay the same, worsen, or improve with treatment. SSA won’t wait at least three months to make a decision on all CHF claims; especially if your longitudinal medical records show that your condition has continued to worsen or has not improved with treatment.

If your condition is unstable when you apply for disability, SSA may wait until your condition stabilizes with treatment to see how well you are able to function at that time. That wait-time for stabilization to occur is typically 3 months. For example, if you are hospitalized with CHF, SSA may wait 3 months to see how well you do on medications after discharge.

If you or a loved have been denied Social Security Disability and you need to appeal your case , you should consult with an experienced Michigan or Arizona Social Security Disability attorney. Allan W. Ben P.C. is a Michigan and Arizona Social Security Disability law firm which can help you or your loved one with their case. We handle cases all over Michigan including Oakland County, Wayne County, Macomb County and Livingston County. We also handle Social Security cases in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Call are office toll free at 866-540-0677 or by email at mailto:info@allanwbenpc.com