The challenges you face when a disability prevents you from working and earning a living increase when you have a family to support. The Social Security Administration has two programs providing disability benefits: Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance.

If you receive SSDI benefits because of a disability, your children may also be eligible for benefits. However, the SSI program does not pay benefits to children whose parents are disabled, but children who are disabled may qualify for SSI benefits in their own right.

This blog contains information to help your children get the benefits they are entitled to receive. As you read through it, remember that a consultation with a disability advocate or lawyer at London Eligibility provides help with all matters related to SSI and SSDI.

SSDI benefits for children

SSDI benefits are available to a child of a parent entitled to receive benefits from the Social Security Administration either because of being disabled or retired. Children of a parent who worked long enough to qualify for Social Security retirement or SSDI benefits may also be eligible for monthly payments.

In order to be eligible for SSDI benefits, a child must not be married and needs to meet one of the following requirements:

• 1). Be younger than 18 years of age.
• 2). Be a full-time student between 18 and 19 years of age and attending elementary or secondary school.
• 3). Be at least 18 years old with a disability that began prior to the child reaching age 22.

Benefits may also be available for your stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren and adopted children.

If you care for a child whose parent is eligible for SSDI or retirement benefits, you may be entitled to receive benefits independent from the benefits the child receives. The payments you receive stop when the child turns 16 years of age. However, payments continue when the child has a disability, and you exercise parental responsibility and control.

How much may a child receive?

Children may receive up to 50% of the SSDI or retirement benefit without diminishing the SSDI benefits received by their parent. When children receive benefits as survivors of a deceased parent, they may receive up to 75% of their parent’s basic retirement or SSDI benefit.

Social Security limits how much it pays to children and other members of the family of an eligible worker. The maximum total family payment cannot exceed between 150% and 180% of the full benefit payable to the disabled or retired parent. Payments made on behalf of a child will be reduced to keep the total from exceeding the limits.

The amount that a child receives each month through SSDI depends on the benefits payable to the parent. SSDI benefits are based on the lifetime earnings of an eligible worker. The maximum monthly payment through SSDI is $3,345 in 2022, but it can change each year depending upon cost-of-living adjustments.

Can a child receive SSI benefits?

Unlike the SSDI program that pays benefits to children whose parent or parents qualify for benefits, SSI benefits are only available to someone who is blind, disabled or 65 years of age or older and meets the financial limitations on income and resources. However, SSI benefits are available for children who are younger than 18 years of age or attend school and are younger than age 22.

Children must be blind or disabled according to the definitions used by Social Security. The definition to qualify for SSI as blind is the same for a child as it is for an adult, but the SSA uses a different definition for “disabled” to determine the eligibility of a child than it uses for adults.

A child must have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment resulting in marked or severe functional limitations. The impairment or impairments must last or be expected to last for at least one year or be expected to cause death.

When a child attains age 18, the SSA reevaluates the disability using the adult criteria. Adults are disabled when they are unable to engage in substantial gainful activity because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to last for at least one year or result in death.

Children who qualify for SSI benefits may receive as much as $841 a month. The monthly benefit may be more for children living in states that supplement the federal benefit. If you have questions about a child’s eligibility, speak with an SSI lawyer.

Get help with SSD benefits for children

Social Security rules and regulations can be complicated and confusing. Get honest and knowledgeable advice and skilled representation from the experienced disability advocates and SSD lawyer at London Eligibility. Learn more about the services we provide by contacting us today for a free consultation.

You may have heard that changes occur to your Medicare disability benefits when you turn 65 years old and have some concerns. The disability advocates and lawyers at London Eligibility want to reassure you that the health insurance coverage through Medicare and the monthly disability benefits payments that you have come to rely upon will not be taken away simply because you turn 65.

The following information about your Social Security disability benefits and their relationship to retirement benefits and Medicare will answer any questions and address concerns you may be having about your benefits. Keep in mind that the disability professionals at London Eligibility are always available to you for advice you can trust and skilled representation in all disability matters.

How Are My Disability Benefits Related To Social Security Retirement?

When you work at a job or through self-employment for a long enough duration, the Social Security taxes you and employers pay make you eligible for retirement benefits when you reach retirement age. If you cannot work because of a disabling medical condition before reaching retirement age, your work record could make you eligible to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits.

When your application for SSDI benefits is approved, the Social Security Administration uses your lifetime earnings record to compute the Average Indexed Monthly Earnings to determine the Primary Insurance Amount, or monthly SSDI benefit, your earnings allow to receive.

Because both SSDI and retirement benefits are determined in essentially the same way, the SSDI benefits you receive equal what you would be getting in retirement benefits at full retirement age. When you reach full retirement age, the SSDI payments automatically convert to retirement benefits without an interruption or change in the payments.

Some people may see an increase in the amount they receive each month after their benefits convert from SSDI to retirement. SSDI benefits will be reduced for individuals who also receive income from the following sources:

• 1). Worker’s compensation benefits.
• 2). Public disability benefits.
• 3). Pension benefits from working at certain government jobs not covered through the Social Security system.

If your SSDI benefits have been reduced because you receive income through one or more of these sources, the reduction does not apply to Social Security retirement benefits. You receive your full retirement benefit, so you will see an increase in the monthly payment you get from Social Security.

When Do Disability Benefits Convert To Retirement Benefits?

SSDI benefits convert at full retirement age, but that may not be when you reach age 65. It’s a common mistake that people make about Social Security retirement benefits.

Your full retirement age depends on the year when you were born. If you were born in 1960 or later, you must wait until you are 67 years old before reaching full retirement age. The Social Security Administration website features a chart showing the full retirement ages for different birth years. Use it to discover how long to expect disability benefits after 65.

Medicare Disability Benefits

When you qualify for SSDI, you also become eligible for health insurance coverage through Medicare; but it does not happen right away. Medicare, which you would normally qualify for when you turn 65, is a benefit available to SSDI beneficiaries after they have received monthly benefit payments for 24 months. If you receive disability benefits with a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, you become immediately eligible for Medicare coverage without the waiting period.

Medicare Hospital Insurance or Part A coverage is available without an additional premium cost to SSDI beneficiaries. As the name implies, it pays the cost of medical services performed while you are a patient at a hospital. It does not, however, pay for medical care provided during office visits.

SSDI beneficiaries may add Part B to their Medicare coverage to pay for the office visits and other services not covered by Medicare Part A. Adding the coverage requires payment of a monthly premium, but some state Medicaid programs pay the premium as part of the benefits they offer. Ask a disability advocate at London Eligibility to help determine whether you qualify for Medicaid in addition to Medicare.

London Eligibility Provides Help With Social Security Disability Benefits

According to the SSA, more than two-thirds of the people applying for disability benefits will receive a denial notice. The disability advocates and lawyers at London Eligibility put their years of experience and knowledge of Social Security law and regulations to improving the success rate for the people who come to them for assistance.

They have access to the most current information about disability programs and eligibility requirements to your questions and provide you with skilled representation in all Social Security disability matters from application through appeals. Learn more by scheduling a free consultation with a disability professional at London Eligibility.

Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States according to the American Heart Association’s most recent available data. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims more lives each year than all forms of cancer and chronic respiratory disease combined. With so many people suffering from heart-related illness, there are many heart conditions that will qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

Here at London Eligibility, the disability law office of Attorney Scott London specializes in getting every eligible person living with a qualifying disability the maximum benefit possible from the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) benefit programs. Let us help you get the benefit payments you deserve. Contact us at the number below.

What Heart Conditions Qualify for Disability Benefit Payments?

The Social Security Administration publishes a list of impairments that qualify for disability benefits if they meet the criteria identified by SSA. The listing is referred to as the “Blue Book,” and meeting the specific condition shown under any of the listed impairments will mean the person’s disability claim will be approved.

However, even if your individual impairment does not meet all of the required criteria for a specific listed disability, you may still get disability benefit payments if the documentary evidence you submit with your application supports a finding that your impairment is severe enough to prevent you from obtaining and maintaining steady full-time employment.

Among the most common heart conditions the Social Security Administration approves for disability benefits are the following:

• 1). chronic (congestive) heart failure or ventricular dysfunction
• 2). myocardial ischemia
• 3). recurrent arrhythmias
• 4). symptomatic congenital heart disease
• 5). heart transplant
• 6). aneurysm of aorta or of another major branch
• 7). chronic venous insufficiency
• 8). recurrent arrythmias

Each of these heart conditions is listed in the Blue Book along with the severity and other criteria necessary to automatically meet the requirements for disability benefits to be approved. The SSA specifies a variety of measurements, test results, imaging records, and other features of each illness that will meet the standard necessary for benefits. But remember that the Blue Book listing is only one way to win approval of disability benefits.

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF): The hears is restricted from pumping a sufficient amount of blood. The reason for the development of the heart failure could atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), cardiomyopathy, hypertension, or rheumatic, congenital, or other heart disease. Whatever the origin of the illness, the SSA treats the claims similarly, relying on test results and other objective findings to validate the presence and severity of the condition. To qualify for total disability, your heart must be functioning at 30% capacity, and you must be experiencing pain even when you are not exerting yourself.

Myocardial (Heart) Ischemia: This illness is usually a precursor to a heart attack and is the result of insufficient oxygen being carried through your blood vessels. The SSA often wants to see confirmatory test results from an angiography or an unsatisfactory performance on a stress test.

Recurrent Arrhythmias: This condition involves a dysfunction in the heart which causes it to race and/or beat slowly on a recurring basis. The illness becomes qualified for total disability if the suffer losses consciousness or nearly loses consciousness on a regular basis due to this condition.

Symptomatic Congenital Heart Disease: There are many types of heart conditions that a person can be born with (congenital) and which cause severe challenges in their life. Symptoms can include irregular heart rhythms, blue skin and lips and fingernails (cyanosis), shortness of breath, quick onset of fatigue with any activity, swelling of organs or tissue (edema).

Heart Transplant: The seriousness of a heart transplant is automatically deemed a total disability by the Social Security Administration for the first year. Following that time, the SSA will consider the extent to which the patient has improved and it will determine whether they have sufficient residual functioning capacity to resume some employment.

Aneurisms: – Aneurisms occur because of weakness in the wall of a blood vessel, usually the major vessel in the blood stream, the aorta. The weakness in the wall tissue allows the formation of a kind of bubble pressing out of the aorta. If it ruptures, whether it’s an aortic aneurism or one in the brain or elsewhere, the hemorrhage is often uncontrollable and results in death. SSA recognizes the condition as totally disabling if confirmed by medical imaging or unsuccessful treatment following a dissection performed in hopes to cut the aneurism out and to rejoin the aortic tissue.

Chronic Venous Insufficiency: Those suffering from this illness are unable to pump blood back up from their legs, causing difficulty or inability to stand and the formation of ulcers. When the ulcers remain unhealed for a period of three months or more, SSA will approve disability benefits.

Many legal processes can be complex and applying for Social Security benefits is no different. Understandably, it can be frustrating when you apply for benefits and legitimately believe you are entitled to them but nevertheless have your application denied. If you find yourself in this situation, you may wonder if and when to pursue an appeal. You may also wonder what it takes for such an appeal to succeed. These are legitimate and important questions, and at London Eligibility, we’re here to help you find the answers.

Should You Represent Yourself?

First and foremost, it should be said that in order to increase your chances of success in pursuing an appeal, you should not represent yourself. Why is this? There are a few reasons, including:

• 1). You don’t know what you don’t know. That may sound obvious, but it’s true. Lawyers who practice Social Security law often have years of experience representing countless clients as they pursue their initial claims and throughout the appeals process. A knowledgeable and experienced Social Security lawyer will understand the finer points of the law that can often make a big difference. You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to assert your rights fully, and an attorney can help ensure that you do just that.
• 2). You usually won’t save money by representing yourself. Often people decide to represent themselves because they think they will save money. While this may be the case in some rare instances, more often than not, it isn’t. In fact, you may actually lose out on money you would otherwise be entitled to because you overlook an essential aspect of the legal process. An attorney familiar with the law can review your unique circumstances and ensure you pursue the appropriate amount you deserve.

Regardless of whether you hire an attorney or choose to represent yourself, you should also be aware of the various stages of the appeals process and how to increase your chances of success at each step.

A Closer Look at The Appeals Process

Submitting a Written Request for Reconsideration

The first part of the process is filing a written request for reconsideration. It’s important to remember to take this step promptly. In fact, the Social Security Administration usually only allows 60 days in which to make this written request. If you delay, you may lose your right to an appeal entirely.

Along with your request for reconsideration, you will need to submit medical evidence to support your claim. While the Social Security Administration will already have some of your medical records by the time you are pursuing an appeal, it is important to remember that if you have been denied, they have likely already reviewed those medical records and found them lacking in some way. Therefore, obtaining additional new medical records that can bolster your position and support your argument for benefits will be helpful and vital.

Requesting a Hearing

Along with filing a request for reconsideration, you will also need to request a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge. As is the case with the request for reconsideration, you will typically have 60 days to do so. Again, it is important not to delay, or you might forgo your opportunity to appeal entirely. Typically, a request for a hearing with an ALJ can be made through the Social Security Administration’s website, by phone, or by printing the necessary forms and taking them to your local Social Security office.

After you request and receive a hearing date, it is also essential that you prepare adequately for the hearing. Often, decisions are made by an ALJ based on the hearing, so you will certainly want to put your best foot forward. As with many other aspects of the process, having an attorney to guide you through preparation for the hearing can be extremely helpful. You will want to consider what questions might be asked, what testimony you want to give, and whatever evidence you want to present.

Deciding Whether to Continue the Appeals Process

After the ALJ has reviewed your case, you will typically receive a written decision within a few months. At that point, you can decide whether you want to accept the decision or pursue your appeal further to the Appeals Council. That process will be similar in terms of gathering medical evidence, preparing testimony, and presenting your evidence in the best possible light. As with all other aspects of the process, a knowledgeable and experienced attorney should be able to best help you prepare for and pursue that appeal.

London Eligibility – Here for You

At London Eligibility, our knowledgeable and experienced team of Social Security attorneys understands every aspect of the process of seeking benefits from the initial application throughout the final appeal. We are here to walk you through that process and guide you along the way. If you’re ready to get started, there’s no time like now. Visit our website at https://www.londoneligibility.com/, or give us a call today – we look forward to speaking with you soon.

When a worker who is eligible for Social Security retirement or disability benefits dies, their surviving spouse and dependents may be entitled to two types of benefits: A lump-sum death payment of $255 and monthly survivor benefits. A death payment and survivor benefits have different requirements that must be met to qualify to receive them.

This article offers an overview of the two benefits that you may be entitled to receive as the surviving spouse or dependent child of a deceased worker who paid Social Security taxes on earnings from working for an employer or through self-employment. When you finish reading it, contact a Social Security disability lawyer or disability advocate at London Eligibility to learn more about benefits you may be entitled to receive.

Special lump-sum death payment from Social Security

A one-time lump sum death payment is available upon the death of a worker who was eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance or retirement benefits. The payment generally goes to the surviving widow or widower who was living with the eligible worker at the time of death.

The $255 lump-sum death payment may still be paid to a surviving spouse living apart from the deceased provided the spouse was receiving Social Security benefits on the deceased worker’s employment history or became eligible to receive them when the worker died. Either of the conditions must have occurred during the month in which the eligible worker died.

A child or children of a worker may receive the $255 death payment provided there is no surviving widow or widower. The child must either be receiving benefits on the parent’s Social Security record during the month in which the parent died or become eligible for them upon the worker’s death.

If a surviving spouse or child receives benefits at the time of a worker’s death, the Social Security Administration will automatically process the payment. Otherwise, the eligible widow or widower or child has two years from the date of death to apply to the SSA for the payment.

Survivor benefits

When someone who worked long enough to qualify for retirement or SSDI benefits dies, their family may be entitled to death Social Security benefits known as survivor benefits. Survivor benefits may be available to the following relatives of a worker:

• I). Spouse
• II). Children
• III). Parent

As a general rule, a worker becomes eligible for Social Security retirement or SSDI benefits when they have earned 40 work credits. One work credit represents $1,510 of income earned in wages or through self-employment in 2022. You can earn as many as four credits a year. The earnings to acquire one work credit changes each year.

The 40 work credits that a worker needs to be eligible for SSDI or retirement benefits for themselves or survivor benefits for their family equals 10 years of work history. If a worker becomes disabled and unable to continue working, they may be able to qualify for SSDI benefits or provide their family with survivor benefits with as few as six credits. Generally, the younger the age of a worker when they become disabled or die, the few credits needed to qualify for SSDI or provide their family members with survivor benefits.

Monthly survivor benefits are payable to the following family members of a deceased worker:

• 1). Surviving spouse who is at least 60 years old.
• 2). Surviving spouse who is disabled and is at least 50 years old.
• 3). Surviving spouse, regardless of age, caring for a child who is younger than 16 years old or who receives a child’s disability benefits.
• 4). Unmarried children of the deceased who are younger than 18 years old or younger than 19 and a full-time student in elementary or high school.
• 5). Unmarried, disabled children of the deceased who are at least 18 years of age and their disability began prior to turning 22 years of age.

Depending on the circumstances of a particular claim, survivor benefits may also be payable to the following family members:

• A). Stepchildren
• B). Grandchildren
• C). Step grandchildren
• D). Adopted children

The best way to find out about eligibility for survivor benefits is by consulting an SSDI lawyer at London Eligibility.

How much will you get in survivor benefits

The amount that family members receive in survivor benefits depend on the lifetime earnings the worker had before they died and the age of the surviving family member. For example, a surviving spouse at full-retirement age or older may receive 100% of their deceased spouse’s benefit.

If they are between the 60 years and full-retirement age, spouses receive 71.5% to 99% of their spouse’s benefit. Speak to an SSD lawyer to find out about survivor benefits for younger spouses and other family members.

Get more information about death benefits

A free consultation with an SSD lawyer at London Eligibility provides answers to questions you have about Social Security death benefits you may be entitled to as the family member of a deceased worker. If you have a disabled child, an SSI lawyer or disability advocate can help you apply for SSI benefits or other benefits available through Social Security.

The Social Security Administration has several programs that pay benefits to people who are blind, disabled, and retired. The program that you qualify for, and the amount of the Social Security benefit at age 65 that you get, depends on several factors that you will learn about in this article.

Different Social Security benefit programs

The SSA administers the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs that pay monthly benefits to people who are disabled. It also oversees payment of retirement benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes on their earnings for a sufficiently long duration to be eligible for benefits.

Someone who is eligible for SSI benefits can receive as much as $841 per month regardless of age. If you worked before becoming disabled, Social Security calculates the amount of your monthly retirement or SSDI benefit based upon your total lifetime earnings. Maximum retirement or SSDI benefits you may receive each month are $3,345.

How much Social Security benefit at age 65 you actually receive depends on several factors, including:

• 1). The program or programs paying the benefits.
• 2). Your lifetime earnings record.
• 3). Other income that you currently receive.

Retirement benefits that you get from Social Security when you turn 65 years of age may be reduced if you elected to retire early and started receiving benefits at age 62.

Social Security retirement benefits at 65

A common misconception about retirement benefits payable through the SSA is about how old you must be to receive them. Unless you were born prior to 1943, the full retirement age is not 65. The age at which you may retire and collect full benefits from the SSA depends upon the year you were born.

If you were born from 1943 to 1954, your full retirement age is 66. It gradually increases until it reaches 67 years of age for anyone born after 1960. The SSA has a chart available at its website to help you determine your full retirement age.

Someone who worked long enough and paid into the Social Security retirement system may be eligible for early retirement benefits at age 62. Before deciding that collecting benefits through early retirement sounds like a good option, be aware that you do not get a full benefit.

If you had lifetime earnings entitling you to the maximum retirement benefit of $3,345 per month at full retirement age, you do not get that much by retiring early. Retiring early reduces Social Security the maximum benefit to $2,364 per month and remains reduced even after you reach your full retirement age.

SSDI benefit available to you at age 65

The SSDI program pays monthly benefits to workers who paid Social Security taxes on their earnings for a long enough duration before a medically determinable physical or mental impairment caused them to become disabled and no longer capable of working. When you qualify for an SSDI benefits, it essentially pays you the benefit you would receive upon reaching full retirement age based on your lifetime earnings record.

In fact, your monthly SSDI benefit payments stop when you become eligible for full retirement benefits through the SSA. You will not, however, miss any payments because the SSDI benefit automatically converts to a retirement benefit in the same amount as what you had been receiving for SSDI.

SSI benefits payable at age 65

You must be blind, disabled or 65 years of age with little or no income and have resources with a total value that does not exceed $2,000 to qualify for SSI. Unlike SSDI, which is based you an applicant’s work history, you may qualify for SSI without ever having worked.

If you qualify for an SSI benefit, the maximum monthly payment that you can receive in 2022 is $841 or $1,261 for an eligible couple. The amount that you actually receive each month may be less than the maximum if you receive income from other sources.

For example, if a relative gives you $300 worth of food, you must report it to SSI. The monthly payment of $841 that you would normally receive from SSI will be reduced by the money given to you by the relative.

There are, however, exclusions to the income and resource rules that may in certain situations. For instance, food and shelter provided to you by a charitable organization may not count toward reducing your monthly SSI benefit. Other exclusions also may apply depending on the particular facts and circumstances related to your claim.

Learn more from a disability lawyer

The rules and regulations governing the SSA benefit programs available to you at age 65 are complicated, but help is available from an SSD lawyer and disability advocates at London Eligibility. Contact them today for a free consultation and claim evaluation.

With technology performing more tasks for us every day, our identification information can be used to defraud a merchant, a bank, and us much more easily than you might think. The information that is most valuable to someone interested in trying to steal money through identity fraud is your Social Security Number (SSN). So much of your financial life is keyed into your SSN that it’s scary how much access a thief can gain if they find out your personal SSN.

You may not immediately think of someone using your SSN in these terms, but you should realize that by stealing and using your SSN,

What to Do If You Think Your Social Security Number Is Compromised

How do you find out if someone is using your SSN?

1). Contact one of the 3 major credit reporting agencies get a free credit report. The primary reason someone wants your SSN is to use it to pretend to be you for purchases and bank transactions. If someone is using your SSN without your knowledge, odds are they have used it to get credit from a merchant to buy things in your name. Each transaction and payment (or missed payment) will be reflected on your credit report. You are entitled to get a free credit report every year.

Here is how to contact the credit agencies:

• A). Experian: 888-397-3742
• B). Equifax: 888-378-4329
• C). TransUnion: 888-909-8872

If you see any activity that you do not recognize, notify the credit bureau immediately. The credit bureau you notify will automatically notify the other agencies to alert them to the potential fraud.

2. If you do identify any credit bureau activity or you receive any notice from a credit provider that you don’t recognize as relating to transaction you made, immediately Put A Freeze on your credit accounts. You can do this either directly through the credit provider or, more efficiently, through the credit report bureau you contacted.

3. Check your bank statements very carefully, either online or by reviewing your monthly paper statement. Under federal law, you have a limited time to report a suspected “unauthorized transfer of funds” before you will be liable for the money. Call a consumer protection attorney immediately to learn the steps you need to take and when. See Unauthorized Electronic Funds Transfers.

4. Get online and look at the Social Security and IRS websites to pull up your account. If you don’t already have an online account with either agency, you can sign up easily. Through the mysocialsecurity account website, you will find out if someone has submitted a false claim for benefits under your name.

You can find out from the IRS is someone has filed a fraudulent tax return to try to obtain your income tax refund or other IRS related payments you were expecting.

Each of these agencies can provide some valuable help and information. For example, the Social Security Administration can “lock your SSN” so no one can use it to open a new account or obtain any new access.

5. Report any suspicious or confirmed fraud incident to all of the following agencies:

• A). Local Police or state law enforcement agencies
• B). Federal Trade Commission (FTC), www.identitytheft.gov
• C). Social Security Administration (SSA) toll-free number at 1-800-269-0271
• D). Internal Revenue Service (IRS) https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central

What Can You Lose If Someone Else Has Your Social Security Number?

The damage you can suffer if someone uses your Social Security Number without your knowledge is substantial. Here are some of the most common ways in which you can be hurt financially:

• 1). Open new credit cards in your name and purchase goods and services with no intention of paying the bills, knowing they will show up as bad debts on your credit report,
• 1). Empty your bank account,
• 2). Open bank accounts in your name through which to run funds from criminal activity,
• 3). Apply for bank loans they intend to default on,
• 4). Impersonate you with the IRS to steal your tax refunds or other expected payments,
• 5). Obtain healthcare, surgeries, and other expensive medical services under your name, leaving you with huge unpaid bills,
• 6). Enter into a lease or rental agreement with property owners or car dealers, connect utility bills, and sign other agreements in your name,
• 7). Commit crimes and get arrested giving your name and SSN as identification,
• 8). Obtain fraudulent IDs from state and federal agencies, claiming they lost the original.
• 9). Apply for government benefits under your name and earning records (Social Security Disability, SSI, even early retirement).

London Eligibility Will Help You with All Your Social Security Issues

If you have questions about any aspect of your right to Social Security benefits, or how to protect yourself from Social Security scams and identity theft of your Social Security Number, contact us for all the information you need.

Many people think that Social Security Disability (SSD) benefit payments are not available to people who have chronic pain as the source of their disability. But pain is a disabling impairment recognized by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

London Eligibility specializes in helping people with every kind of physical or mental disability prepare, fight for, and win approval of SSD benefit payments. Our staff of highly trained disability advocates and supervising lawyers do nothing else than focus on giving every client the best possible chance of winning their Social Security Disability benefits.

How Back Pain Qualifies for Social Security Disability Benefits

The Social Security Administration’s definition of a disability is very specific and requires everyone who applies for SSD benefits to show evidence that they have

a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that lasts or is expected to last 12 months (or result in death), and that prevents the person from performing substantial gainful activities.

Anyone who has suffered with chronic back pain knows that it can fit the SSA’s definition of a disability when it is severe. However, to qualify for disability benefits from SSD, the pain has to be persistently severe enough to prevent you from working steadily for at least 12 months.

Sources of Back Pain that Can Qualify for Disability

The human back is used in almost every movement we perform in our lives. The skeletal and muscular tissue keeps us erect, enables us to move, bend, stretch, twist, stand, and sit. But as strong as the human back is, it is also composed of many vulnerable areas that can cause lasting pain, sometimes permanent pain.

Back pain can result from falls, car accidents, age, disease, and other causes. The Social Security Administration recognizes that some of the sources of genuine, disabling back pain could include the following:

Whatever the source of your back pain, the key to winning the SSD benefits you deserve is being able to provide medical documentation that your pain is severe enough to face significant daily challenges, like the following:

• 1). requiring assistance walking
• 2). needing to adjust your position while seated more frequently than every 2 hours,
• 3). restricted bending, stooping, standing, lifting, or holding weighty objects

Medical Documentation

Like all disability claims, applicants whose back pain is severe need to have a documented medical treatment history or substantial objective evidence from tests you underwent. MRIs, X-rays, CT scans, Reflect Tests, Leg Raising Test, and any other test producing results are important to include with your SSD application.

However, the Social Security Disability program emphasizes that it knows those tests may not accurately reflect your experience with pain, mobility, etc. The government always relies for clarification on the reports generated by the doctors and other healthcare providers who conducted physical examinations. The notes made during and immediately after a physical examination are clear statements of what was observed by the medical expert treating you.

Pain does not exist in a vacuum. When pain results from use your back or another part of your body, the human tendency is not to use it. When back pain is emanating from inflammation or pressure on spinal nerves, the pain is accompanied by marked weakness and numbness, and shooting pains into arms, legs, feet, and hands.

Documenting these awful sensations within your medical records is imperative. If these significant symptoms are not clearly communicated in the medical records, they will not be considered merely by your mentioning them during a hearing. Remember, “medically determinable” essentially means documented in your medical records.

Duration of Severe Pain

A problem many people face when they apply for SSD benefits based on back pain is not proving the genuineness of the agonizing pain, but proving that it is long-term, lasting, or expected to last at least 12 months.

Depending on the reason for the severe back pain, the remedial options may include surgery. While everyone hopes surgery will resolve the pain, keeping it from persisting long enough to be “long-term” for SSD purposes, surgery is often unsuccessful in resolving the pain. The surgery may also lead to complications which may themselves lead to more pain or other impairments.

Among the factors Social Security Disability case assessors will review is your response to treatment. This includes the type of medication, the type and frequency of therapy, and what degree of relief the therapy or medication provided. The information needs to cover a long enough period for the government to form a “reasonable projections about your future functioning.”

Get Expert Help with Your Back Pain Social Security Disability Claim

Attorney Scott London founded London Eligibility Advocates for Medicaid and Social Security to provide expert advocacy to people living with disabilities who need assistance collecting, analyzing, preparing, and fighting for approval of their SSD and SSI disability claims.

The Social Security Administration pays disability benefits through two programs: Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. The programs are quite different in the benefits they provide and the requirements a person must meet in order to qualify.

Here is a closer look at the qualification requirements for SSDI and SSI to give you a better understanding of each program until you meet with a Social Security disability lawyer at London Eligibility. Letting an SSD lawyer handle your application ensures that it contains enough information and medical evidence to meet eligibility guidelines. Their lawyers also assist with the appeal process to challenge claim denials.

Qualifying for the SSDI program

To qualify for the SSDI program, you must have an earnings record and a disability that meet the standards established by federal law. SSDI is only available to people who worked long enough at jobs or through self-employment. You must have contributed to the Social Security system through payroll taxes on your earnings or through the payment self-employment taxes.

You must have worked long enough and recently enough to satisfy the work requirements to qualify for SSDI. How long and how recent the earnings from work must be depends on how old you are at the onset of your disability.

For example, if you become disabled before you are 24 years of age, you must have worked for at least 1.5 years during the three years before you became disabled. An SSDI lawyer at London Eligibility can review your earnings record to determine whether or not you meet earnings criteria to qualify for SSDI.

Establishing an earnings record is only one of the requirements you need to meet in order to qualify for disability benefits through the SSDI program. You also must meet the medical standard by being unable to work because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that is expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death.

Meeting the strict definition of “disabled” to qualify for SSD benefits

The fact that you qualified for temporary disability benefits through your state cannot be used as an indicator of the likelihood of winning an approval of your application for benefits through either the SSI or SSDI programs. Federal law establishes a strict definition for disability that Social Security must follow when determining whether you qualify for benefits.

The definition of disabled that is used to qualify adults applying for benefits through the SSDI and SSI programs is the same. You must satisfy each of the following requirements:

• 1). You must be unable to engage in substantial activity (SGA).
• 2). The disability must be caused by a medically determinable impairment that can be either physical or mental or a combination of impairments.
• 3). The impairment must be severe and expected to last for a continuous 12-month period or be expected to result in death.

A different definition of disability applies when a child applies for benefits through the SSI program. A child is disabled when medically determinable physical or mental impairment or impairments that are expected to last for at least 12 continuous months cause marked and severe functional limitations.

When an applicant for benefits through SSDI and SSI claims to be blind, federal law has a specific definition that must be met based on the person’s vision when corrected and visual field. The blindness must be expected to last for at least 12 months when the application seeks benefits through SSDI, but there is no duration requirement for applicants seeking SSI benefits based on being blind.

If your impaired vision does not meet the criteria to qualify for SSDI as blind under the definition used by Social Security, an SSDI lawyer may be able to help. Even though your vision does not allow you to qualify for benefits as blind, it may allow you to qualify for SSDI by satisfying the disability definition.

Qualifying for SSI

SSI is a need-based program available to people who are 65 years of age or older or are blind or disabled. A work history is not an eligibility requirement for SSI as it is for the SSDI program, but you must have limited income and resources and be a U.S. citizen, national or in one of several categories of aliens to qualify for benefits.

The total value of resources you own cannot exceed $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for couples. Resources generally mean anything you can use to acquire food or shelter, including cash, bank deposits, personal property, land and other assets.

Learn more about how to qualify for SSD

Find out more about how to qualify for SSD benefits during a free consultation with an SSD lawyer at London Eligibility. The lawyer answers all of your questions about benefits available to you, reviews your claim, and explains the application process, including qualifying requirements, with you in detail. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Seizure disorders can be extraordinarily disruptive of a person’s ability to maintain regular employment. The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes epilepsy as a seriousness condition, and it is included in the Social Security Disability Insurance Blue Book of listed impairments.

The key to determining whether your epilepsy or nonepileptic seizure disorder will qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits is the severity of the impairment as it affects your daily ability to work.

London Eligibility specializes in providing expert advocacy and legal help for people suffering from a disability. If you worked enough years and paid taxes on your income, you are eligible for SSD benefits if your impairment is severe. If you did not work earlier in your life, then you are eligible for SSI benefits if you have limited financial resources and low income along with your severe seizure disorder.

Epilepsy and Social Security Disability Benefits

Epilepsy is an illness in which electrical activity in the brain reacts abnormally, causing sudden, unpredictable seizures. People suffering from one type of epilepsy are overcome with sudden, unexpected loss of consciousness, often suffering physical injury when falling to the ground or to the floor.

These violent falls are then followed by a periods of alternating uncontrollable muscle contractions and relaxations that most people know as convulsions.

This type of tonic-clonic epileptic seizure occasionally causes the sufferer to experience incontinence or injury to their tongue from the pressure biting from the jaw muscle contractions. These seizures are also exhausting. Can someone suffering from these types of seizures work full time? Would they stay at work for the rest of the day if they suffered a seizure at 10:30 am? How would their relationship with their boss and coworkers be affected?

A second type of seizure disorder involves what are called dyscognitive seizures. Unlike the tonic-clonic variety, people who suffer these seizures are no longer focused or oriented to their time and place. They are staring blankly, and may be involuntarily smacking their lips, swallowing, or moving facial muscles as though chewing. Repetitive gestures are also common. Though people suffering from a dyscognitive seizure disorder do not fall to the ground or display violent convulsions, their brain is nonetheless undergoing unpredictable, abnormal electrical activity.

Ongoing Treatment Compliance Is Required

Epilepsy can often be treated successfully, reducing the frequency or severity of seizures and permitting sufferers to regularly perform what Social Security would describe as “substantial gainful activities.”

Because of the frequent effectiveness of medical treatment, Social Security Disability benefits are only available to those claimants who remain compliant with the prescribed treatment. While there may be some limited cases in which SSD allows exceptions for failing to comply with treatment, treatment is ongoing treatment generally a must to be awarded Social Security disability benefits.

For example, if your doctor tells you to stop drinking because can decrease the effectiveness of anti-seizure meds and even increase the risk of seizures, and you still drink alcohol, you will not be in treatment compliance.

Exceptions might include situations in which you want the treatment but can’t afford it and no free or publicly subsidized treatment is available in your community. Or, if a recommended treatment is considered risky, treatment compliance may be waived.

What Seizure Frequency and Severity Is Required for SSD or SSI Benefits?

The Social Security Disability Blue Book of Listed Impairments includes the criteria by which an SSD or SSI claim bases on a seizure disorder is assessed:

To Win Social Security Disability Benefits for Tonic-Clonic Seizures (Grand Mal Seizures):

1). Seizure occurs at least one time every other month for 4 consecutive months,

AND,

A). sever limitation of one of these functions:

•      I). standing, balancing, use of arms or legs, or similar physical function
•      II). understanding, or using information at work, or remembering
•      III). interacting with other people
•      IV). concentrating, persisting, or maintaining pace,
•      V). behavioral or emotional control at work or maintaining well-being there.

OR

A). Seizure occurs at least one time every month for 3 consecutive months, no severe limitations are required.

To Win Social Security Disability Benefits for Dyscognitive Seizures (Petit Mal Seizures):

1). Seizure occurs at least one time every other week for 3 consecutive months,

AND

A). severe limitation of one of these functions:

•      I). standing, balancing, use of arms or legs, or similar physical function
•      II). understanding, or using information at work, or remembering
•      III). interacting with other people
•      IV). concentrating, persisting, or maintaining pace,
•      V). behavioral or emotional control at work or maintaining well-being there.

OR

A). Seizure occurs at least once a week for three consecutive months; no severe limitation are required.

Medical Verification Required

Your medical records and doctor’s recorded observations, findings, and any other confirmatory test results are of central importance to support your claim for disability benefits. Working with an experienced disability lawyer or advocacy firm can improve the likelihood of a successful claim because these professionals know what SSD and SSI wants to see included in the application package.

The Social Security Administration even has rules as to how it counts seizures. What you may think was two or three seizures occurring in the same few hours will probably be counted as one seizure by the Social Security Administration.