Help

Lack of medical treatment is at the top of the list.

Social Security Disability is all about medical.

If you do not have medical treatment, then you will be denied.

This includes doctors for physical problems and psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors for emotional problems.

Incomplete medical records are another downfall.

Sometimes the medical providers do not provide the records to Social Security.

You have to follow up with the doctor’s office to make sure they send them in.

At the hearing stage you are responsible for supply the medical records.

You must make sure that you have ordered all the updated records to support your case.

Age is a big reason for denying your case.

Social Security rules provide that if you are under 50 years of age you will be denied if you can do any job.

This is, of course, a high standard to meet.

Social Security likes to say that you can do a simple sit down job.

You must convince Social Security that you cannot do any job at all.

The nature of the Social Security process is another big reason for denial.

The filing of disability applications has increased a lot.

The number of people reviewing applications has decreased.

This results in delays and reviews that are not thorough.

Some resolutions for the New Year and your Illinois Workers’ Compensation case.

1. File your case. If you do not file an application of claim you may lose valuable benefits.

2. Make sure you tell your doctor how you were injured at work and all the body parts that were injured. This will save you trouble later on.

3. Complete an accident report as soon as possible.

4. See your doctor as soon as possible and as often as you need. If you wait the insurance company will use this against you.

5. Follow the doctor’s treatment plan. Do not give the insurance company a reason to deny you further treatment.

6. If your employer you offers you a job within the doctor’s restrictions you must try it to prove that you are making a good faith effort to return to
work.

7. Be aware of your surroundings. Work Comp insurance companies like to send surveillance investigators to watch you.

8. Do not give a recorded statement to the Work Comp insurance adjuster. They will use it against you. It will not help your case.

9. Get your medical bills paid. It does not matter if Work Comp pays or your group health pays. In the end Work Comp insurance will have to repay your
group health insurance company.

10. Talk with a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer. It will not hurt. A lawyer will only get paid if you receive money.

Some resolutions for the New Year and your Social Security Disability case.

1. Do not wait to file your application. The sooner the better. You may be losing valuable benefits.

2. Be patient. Social Security Disability is a slow process. It takes almost a year and half to get to a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.

3. Do not give up. If you are denied you need to file appeals at each stage. Otherwise you lose benefits and time.

4. Go to your doctor. If you do not see a doctor for your conditions and problems you put yourself at a tremendous disadvantage.

5. Go to the Social Security doctors. If you skip the appointments you will be denied. Sometimes the Social Security doctor will help your case.

6. Pay attention to the forms Social Security sends you. How you respond can help or hurt your case.

7. Pay attention to the questions the Judge asks. The hearing is your chance to explain how your illness limits your daily activities.

8. Know why the vocational expert is at the hearing and what questions you need to ask.

9. Remember the past work you performed in the last 15 years. It may be very important to your case.

10. Talk to a Social Security Disability Lawyer about your case. You have nothing to lose. Lawyers are only paid if you win your case.

For those people under 50 years of age it is very difficult to win your case.

The reason is that if you can do any job at all then under Social Security rules you are not disabled.

Social Security rules do not take into account the real world.

For instance, Social Security does not care how high the unemployment rate is, or whether you can only do a minimum wage job now instead of your high paying job.

They do not care that there may be 50 able bodied people applying for each job and that someone who has any health problems will be passed over.

There are hundreds of sit down jobs that exist in the economy according to Social Security.

Sit down jobs are the lowest level of exertion for Social Security Disability.

This means you must convince Social Security that you cannot do a simple sit down job.

To do this you must prove that your pain will distract you enough to reduce your productivity below 80 percent for your work day.

Or that your condition will result in you missing more than one day a month of work.

The medical records must support the reduction in productivity and the need to miss work.

So here are some truthful tips about the state of Workers’ Compensation cases in Illinois.

Workers’ Compensation cases are going down in value.

Part politics, part change in the law.

Work Comp arbitrators and Commissioners are feeling the pressure to reduce awards.

What are some ways to change the trend?

Take a note card with you when you visit the doctor. Make sure it includes how you were injured, what body parts were hurt, and how you are limited as a result of your condition. Give it to your doctor so you make sure it shows up in the medical records.

Take note of how your daily activities and chores are restricted due to your injury.

Be ready for questions at your trial.

How were you hurt?

What did you injure?

Did you go to the doctor right away?

Did you keep treating with your doctor till your condition was healed?

Were you able to return to work in the same job you had before your injury?

What are the permanent problems you have as a result of your work injury?

Make sure all your bills are submitted to the insurance company and have been paid or denied.