Resources

An Ocala Social Security Disability Lawyer Discusses Your Testimony In the following blog, an Ocala Social Security disability lawyer explains the most crucial points that must be established when you testify at your hearing. Two Important Points You and your Ocala Social Security disability attorney must convince the ALJ of two primary things: • The work you have done for 15 years is too difficult for you to do now. • There are no other types of work available in the job market that you can do. Your Past Work To demonstrate the first point listed above, you will be asked to describe the least demanding type of work you did in the past fifteen years, and why you can’t do it…Read More

In this article, an Ocala Social Security disability benefits attorney addresses how the Medical Vocational Guidelines, or Grids, and non-exertional limitations are applied by the Social Security Administration in disability cases. Your Ocala Social Security Disability Lawyer Explains the Grids The Medical Vocational Guidelines, also referred to as the Grids, are set up as the name implies. The three exertion levels, sedentary, light and medium, are represented on charts that are divided into columns under the headings education, age, prior employment experience and disabled or not, or decision. Your residual functional capacity along with how old you are, what level of school you completed and your prior employment experience are matched to the corresponding place on the appropriate chart in…Read More

In this article, an experienced Ocala Social Security disability claims lawyer explains how the Social Security Administration classifies the various levels of physical exertion required in different types of jobs. The Dictionary of Occupational Titles This extremely large reference book lists practically every conceivable type of job that could possibly exist in the job market along with the skills and educational level required for each. Your Ocala Social Security disability attorney will be familiar with this reference. The paragraph below outlines the categories that the SSA has accepted as given in the DOT prior to its revision: “Sedentary jobs involve sitting; walking and standing are required occasionally. When walking or standing are involved to a significant degree, the job is…Read More

In this blog, an experienced Ocala Social Security disability attorney explains how the Social Security Administration assesses testimony from lay witnesses. Role of Friends and Family Part of your Ocala Social Security disability lawyer’s responsibility is to assist you in choosing witnesses whose statements will be of benefit to you at your hearing and ensuring that they are adequately prepared to testify. Many of these people will be lay witnesses in that they are not professional experts. They may be relatives, colleagues or friends, and their statements can have considerable impact on your case. How the SSA Views Lay Witnesses The SSA has this to say with regard to how they view the statements of non-expert witnesses: “it would be…Read More

In the paragraphs below, an experienced Ocala Social Security disability law office attorney explains the importance of your treatment history. Role of Your Medical Records Medical records document everything you have done in your efforts to cure or improve your condition. They document your symptoms, what your physicians have prescribed or done, your compliance with their instructions and the results of treatment. They also provide documentation for your Ocala Social Security disability lawyer and the ALJ of the existence and severity of the condition that your claim cites as rendering you unable to work. Current and Complete Medical Records You can contribute to the accuracy and completeness of your medical records by implementing the following suggestions: Consult a physician. Your…Read More

In this short blog, an Ocala Social Security disability law firm attorney discusses what might be expected of you if your hearing testimony involves mental impairment. Your Residual Functional Capacity If you have applied for Social Security disability citing a mental impairment and your application was not accepted, it could be because your mental RFC was incorrectly assessed. Your Ocala Social Security disability attorney will demonstrate the degree to which your condition limits you by asking you a number of questions. The administrative law judge may also request information from you. The questions may include but are not limited to the following: 1. Implementing simple directions, performance on the job: Are you able to: Recall specific places and remember how…Read More

The Social Security disability process is complex and government statistics show that when individuals who have an attorney, like one from an Ocala Social Security disability law firm, they are more likely to be approved than individuals who do not have legal counsel. Reasons Why Attorneys Help There are several reasons why an Ocala Social Security disability law firm can be helpful during this process. One such reason is that a disability lawyer is aware of the information that the Social Security Administration needs in order to make a favorable decision on your behalf. They also know how to gather this information. An Ocala Social Security disability law firm can also help develop this evidence in a more complete fashion.…Read More

There is more to establishing your eligibility for Social Security disability than your medical condition alone. An Ocala Social Security disability claims lawyer addresses some of these requirements in the paragraphs below. You Must Pay In In order to qualify for Social Security disability, more is required than a medical impairment. You must also have contributed to the system long enough to be “fully insured,” and your payments must be sufficiently current to maintain your disability insured status. Your Ocala Social Security Disability Benefits Attorney Illustrates Eligibility Like a health or life insurance policy, the Social Security disability program requires that you pay premiums in the form of Social Security taxes. This is the money that is taken out of…Read More

In the following paragraphs, an Ocala Social Security disability claims attorney answers the question of whether or not it is possible to receive both unemployment compensation and Social Security disability benefits at the same time. Importance of the Onset Date This date, which marks the day when your impairment first manifested itself, is crucial to determining whether or not you are eligible for both programs. The other factor to be considered is the various kinds of work that might suit your abilities. The onset date has significance because if you state on your application that you were impaired on the same day you began receiving unemployment benefits after your employer laid you off, there is an inherent conflict. By submitting…Read More

Social Security disability is not simply a matter of asking whether you are able to perform any work at all. The Social Security regulations provide for somewhat different criteria depending on the age of the claimant as your Ocala Social Security disability attorney will tell you. The general requirement for most claimants is that must prove they can no longer perform their past work or any other work. However, the claimant’s age comes into play when asking this question. The rules become more lenient for claimants 55 or over. What If I Am Over 55? The SSA uses a set of rules known as the Medical-Vocational Guidelines to make disability determinations, which your Ocala Social Security Disability Attorney can explain…Read More