Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney

Inflammatory Arthritis and Social Security Disability

Dirk May Help, Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney, Illinois Social Security Disability Lawyer, Medical, Social Security, Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income

Arthritis is crippling disease that can severely limit your functioning.

People with arthritis may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits.

Inflammatory arthritis also known as rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that usually attacks the hands and fingers.

Inflammatory arthritis is a systemic disease that may include weakness and fatigue.

Diagnosing inflammatory arthritis is based on blood tests, xrays or MRI’s.

Different types of medications are prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis such as methotrexate or corticosteroids, and sometimes physical therapy.

Social Security looks at the severity of your condition and how it limits your ability to function.

It focuses on the ability to walk, handle, finger, grip and lift items.

Social Security also tries to determine whether your inflammatory arthritis interferes with your ability to complete tasks due to problems with concentration, persistence or pace.

Social Security will examine whether your inflammatory arthritis causes severe fatigue, fever, discomfort, or extreme weight loss.

You should document these problems through several different ways including medical records, your doctor’s opinion, medical tests, prescriptions for use of assistive devices, letters or testimony of people who help you at home and who observe you on a regular basis.

Questions about your conditions and whether you should file for disability? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

Is Your Child Disabled?

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Social Security has a program for certain children who are considered disabled.

You must qualify financially and medically to be paid Children’s SSI benefits.

Some children are severely disabled but are not eligible for SSI benefits because their parents make too much money.

If you qualify financially, then you must also meet the Social Security rules for disability status.

It is not enough to be eligible for special education services. There are many children who have Individualized Education Plans who do not qualify for SSI.

Social Security rules and law divides a child’s functioning into 6 different categories in determining disability:

Acquiring and Using Information;

Attending and completing tasks;

Interacting and relating with others;

Moving about and manipulating objects;

Caring for yourself; and

Health and Physical Well-Being.

You have to show marked limitations in 2 of these domains or severe limitations in 1 domain.

To prove limitations you will need doctors’ records and evaluations, teachers’ assessments and possibly testing from organizations such as Easter Seals or University studies.

A child may have a combination of problems such as cerebral palsy and depression, or ADHD and autism. What Social Security looks at is the severity of the condition and how it affects the child’s daily activities such as running, playing, getting along with others, learning, focusing, and communicating.

If you have any questions about Children’s SSI you should contact an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer.

Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Lawyer Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

Social Security Disability Hearings and Your Testimony

Dirk May Help, Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney, Illinois Social Security Disability Lawyer, Social Security, Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income

Your testimony at the Social Security Disability hearing can make the difference between winning and losing.

If you irritate the Judge it will not help your cause.

If you explain your problems and limitations in a convincing manner, then a Judge who may be leaning your way will usually find you disabled.

How do you avoid making the Judge suspicious or making the Judge mad.

If the medical records contain something that looks bad such as references to alcohol or drug abuse you will need to explain how you have had substance abuse treatment or how often you attend AA meetings.

If the medical records indicate that you are doing well, then you will have to explain how your pain will wax and wane at times or that you do better at times but the pain still makes so that you have take frequent rest breaks.

Answering the questions in a straight forward manner and believable way helps immensely.

This means that you cannot be too extreme and tell that the Judge that you are unable to do nothing. That you cannot do any chores or daily activities.That your pain is beyond a 10 all the time. People have good and bad days with a range of functioning. You should have your spouse or a friend ready to write a letter or testify that about your problems and limitations.

You can also fail to tell the Judge your real problems and pretend like you can do more than you are truly able to perform.

In addition, you should be able to explain how the pain interferes with your concentration, and makes you lose focus. How you need to nap and rest after your activities because of pain and fatigue from your medications.

A successful finding of disability depends on proper and consistent medical treatment, documented limitations, and convincing testimony at your hearing.

Questions about your disability claim? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

Behind Closed Doors at Social Security in Illinois

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What happens when you file a Social Security disability application?

In many ways it is a mystery what Social Security does and what they look for, but what goes on can be fleshed out a little.

Once you file your application online or at a local Social Security office it is sent on the Springfield, Illinois or Chicago, Illinois for the Division of Disability Services or DDS to review.

At the initial stage there is a person at DDS who orders the medical records and sends out questions to the applicant.

Once the questionnaires and medical records come back the person in charge of your file will review the medical records and answers to the questions you supply and make a determination if you fit within the guidelines for disability.

DDS will also have medical personnel review your case to determine your level of functioning. Such as, are you limited to a sit down job or can you lift 20 pounds or more and can you stand and walk 6 out of 8 hours of the day.

Sometimes DDS will send you to a doctor to examine you.

The doctor will also try to determine your limitations.

In it is most simple form if DDS thinks you are able to work within its guidelines, then it will deny your claim.

You must then file an appeal to move forward with your case. When you appeal DDS will have a new person review your case. This includes ordering updated medical records. The new adjudicator in charge of your case will review your records and make a decision about whether you are able to work.

If you are denied again, then you must request a hearing.

At the hearing level, this is your first chance to see the person who will make a decision in your case face-to-face.

At the earlier levels of review the people at Social Security are only looking at paper work.

This is important to remember because it shows the importance of telling your doctor about your limitations and problems.

If you do not tell your doctor, then Social Security’s reviewers will never know what is happening.

You must also fill out the questionnaires properly. If not then there is the chance the reviewer will mistakenly believe you can function at a higher level than you really are able to.

You must keep in mind what the people at Social Security are really looking for when they review your claim.

Questions about your disability case? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

Should You File for Social Security Disability?

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People wonder when they should file for Social Security Disability or if they should file at all.

First of all you should make sure that you are eligible for Social Security Disability.

If you have not paid Social Security taxes, then you cannot be paid disability benefits.

This may have happened if you were out of the work force in the last 10 years as a stay at home mom or dad, or if you were self-employed and did not pay Social Security taxes, or if you were a teacher or university professor who did not pay into the Social Security system.

If you have any questions you should contact your local Social Security office and ask them if you are eligible for disability benefits based on your work record.

Some people may be able to file for SSI if they cannot get the regular Social Security Disability benefits. SSI depends on household income and assets. You should contact an experienced Social Security lawyer to discuss your options.

If you are eligible and cannot work, then you should file your application as soon as possible. The reason is that it can take a long time to examine your medical records and decide your case. In central Illinois it is taking up to 2 years from application to hearing. In addition, you may lose benefits if you wait too long to file. Back benefits will only be paid 12 months before your application date.

If you think you can only work part-time, then you should file. Social Security allows you to earn less than $1,000 gross per month and still file for benefits.

If you have alcohol or drug abuse problems do not file. Social Security will deny you if you have substance abuse issues. Make sure you get treatment through a substance abuse center or through AA or NA, and then file your application.

If you have not been seeing a doctor for your problems do not file. Social Security disability is all about your medical treatment and records. It is a waste of your time to file for disability and not have medical treatment. Make sure you see your doctors and explain all your problems and how they limit and restrict you and then file your disability application.

Questions about your case? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Lawyer Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.