General

A major part of Social Security Disability is medical evidence. This includes medical records and reports from your doctors.

To have the best evidence available you should inform your doctor that you have applied for Social Security Disability and are in the process of having a hearing schedule. Explain that the Social Security Judge will be reading your medical records trying to determine what conditions you have and how your conditions limit your daily activities such as lifting, range of motion, sitting, standing, walking, endurance, use of hands and arms, concentration and fatigue. The doctor should also know the administrative law judge is interested in your medications and any side-effects such as fatigue and loss of concentration.

You should also ask your doctor if she is willing to write a letter to support your claim which details the above information.

This type of evidence will be very helpful in your Social Security case.

Tax time is rolling around again, and a number of Central Illinois communities provide free tax filing assistance for those with income below $40,000. For instance, in Bloomington, Peoria, Springfield and Champaign you can contact your library and they will provide you with details regarding tax filing help.

For many people seeking Social Security Disability the Earned Income Tax Credit may be available. This provides a nice amount of money for many people.

Be sure to call your local library and ask for details on free tax filing assistance.

People in Bloomington, Pontiac and surrounding Central Illinois cities must travel to Peoria for their Social Security hearings. Some of my clients cannot drive and cannot find anyone to drive them to their Social Security hearing. I have no problem taking them to the hearing.

Please feel free to contact me with any of your Social Security disability questions, or if you need assistance in getting to the hearing.

In Illinois, if you are injured and cannot return to your old job and can no longer earn the same amount you did before you were hurt you may be eligible for a wage differential.

A wage differential is 66% of the difference between what you used to earn and what you can now earn. You must prove your injury caused your inability to perform your old job. You also must prove your new job effectively uses all your capabilities. In other words, if you return as a store greeter but could work as a school teacher the Worker’s Compensation insurance company will argue they do not have to subsidize your work choice.

Sometimes you have difficulty finding a new job. If that happens you may have to rely on a vocational expert to determine what wage you could earn, or you may have to request vocational assistance from the Worker’s Compensation insurance company.

More later about what happens if you cannot return to work at all.

A CBS News Story is planned for Monday January 14, 2008 and Tuesday January 15, 2008 regarding the Social Security Disability backlogs throughout the country.

More judges have been hired for local offices and judges have been hired to work out of a central office in Virginia to hold video hearings for claimants from all over.

The question remains whether Social Security can hire enough front line workers to prepare the files for hearing and the new judges.