Oklahoma City Social Security Disability Law Blog

With whom you live can impact your SSI benefits

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in SSI Supplemental Security Income on Friday, November 16, 2018.

Different people have different preferences for their living arrangements. While some individuals may thrive when they are living by themselves, others may enjoy the companionship of family members or friends living in their households. With whom a person chooses to live can have an impact on their quality of life, but Oklahoma residents should also know that the people a person lives with can influence whether they will receive the full amount of Supplemental Security Income they apply for.

If a person is solely responsible for their basic needs, such as housing and food, then it is possible for them to receive the full amount of SSI that is available. However, when others contribute to the costs of an applicant's needs then that applicant may not be eligible for full SSI benefits.

Applying for Social Security benefits for schizophrenia

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability on Wednesday, November 14, 2018.

If you suffer from schizophrenia, you know how debilitating it can be. It may impact your daily life and ability to work. Schizophrenia significantly affects your ability to perceive reality. You may be wondering if you can get Social Security benefits for your condition.

According to the Social Security Administration, schizophrenia is one of the qualifying mental impairments for benefits. However, your condition must be severe enough in order for you to be eligible. Here is a guide to applying for SSDI coverage for schizophrenia.

What is the Disability Determination Process?

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability on Thursday, November 8, 2018.

There are many different diseases and ailments that may prevent Oklahoma residents from finding and keeping wage-earning jobs. The Social Security Administration offers a multitude of guidance on how different disorders and injuries may be assessed with regard to whether they amount to disabilities for the purposes of permitting benefits. However, the Disability Determination Process (DDP) may be confusing to men and women who are planning to begin the application process.

The DDP begins when a person submits an application for disability benefits and that application is received by a Disability Determination Services (DDS) office. A worker at the DDS office will review the applicant's file and verify that the individual meets all of the requirements for benefits regardless of the particular medical condition at hand.

How does depression affect one's ability to work?

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability Benefits for Mental Conditions on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

Everyone has good days and bad days. On a good day, an Oklahoma resident may feel confident and able to accomplish the tasks necessary to carry out their daily duties and reach their goals. On a bad day, they may not be able to handle simple tasks and may find that their attention is lacking when it comes to work that they may not want to do.

Cycles in focus, energy, and even mood are common among all people, but individuals who suffer from depression may be more deeply affected by their condition than others think. Research reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that the effects of depression on workplace productivity are costly, and that many individuals who suffer from depression are not getting the help that they need to improve.

Some benefits can reduce Social Security disability payments

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability on Thursday, October 25, 2018.

If an Oklahoma resident cannot work due to a disabling illness or injury, then they may seek the support of benefits programs like those offered by the Social Security Administration. Depending upon the nature of their ailments and their need, however, they may also receive compensation from others sources. Individuals who receive certain benefits outside of Social Security disability may be surprised to learn that their disability benefits could be reduced by their other forms of support.

For example, a person who receives workers' compensation benefits may have their Social Security disability benefits reduced, as may individuals who receive other specific forms of public benefits. Individuals who only receive privately funded benefits, such as those from pensions, generally will not have their benefits reduced.

3 mistakes to avoid when applying for SSDI benefits

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability on Wednesday, October 17, 2018.

The application process for Social Security Disability Insurance can be complex and stressful at times. Trying to figure out all the documents and bureaucracy can be frustrating. You may feel distraught and even tempted to give up.

Due to the complexity of the SSDI application process, you may make some errors when filling out your application. This may result in getting a denial of benefits. Here are some common SSDI mistakes to avoid, so you can increase your chances of acceptance.

What is a continuing disability review?

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability on Wednesday, October 17, 2018.

Individuals who frequently read the posts on this Oklahoma disability benefits blog may know that in order to qualify for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration a person's impairment must be expected to last for at least 12 months. This means that short-term illnesses and injuries are generally not covered by the organization's benefits' programs. However, even if a person's disability is expected to endure for years or even their entire life, they should be aware that they may be required to continue to demonstrate their need for benefits.

This is because the Social Security Administration performs continuing disability reviews. A continuing disability review is intended to identify individuals who are no longer afflicted by their ailments and to stop their payments from continuing. Generally, continuing disability reviews are done every three years, but if a person's ailment is expected to be life-long then their reviews may only happen every seven years.

A discussion of paralysis and its many life-altering symptoms

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability Benefits for Injuries on Thursday, October 11, 2018.

Paralysis can result from a number of traumas and medical conditions, including but not limited to spinal cord injuries, strokes, and Bell's palsy. The clearest indicator of paralysis in a patient is the inability of the patient to move their body. Depending upon the type, location, and nature of the paralysis the patient may suffer significant impairment to their extremities, torsos, and internal systems. This post is offered to provide Oklahoma residents with some information on how deeply paralysis can affect individuals and how this condition can form the basis of a disability benefits claim. It should not, however, be read as legal or medical advice.

Most people think of paralysis as the inability of a person to move their arms or legs, but paralysis can inflict even deeper problems upon its victims. For example, a victim who suffers an injury high on their spinal cord in their neck may be paralyzed from the neck down and therefore lose the ability to control their digestive systems. This can lead to the loss of bladder and bowel control.

During an illness, work with lawyers who you trust

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability Benefits for Illness on Thursday, October 4, 2018.

An illness can be a tricky enemy to fight. For some individuals, illnesses like cancer may live in their bodies for months before emerging and demonstrating their truly dangerous propensities. In other situations, a person may contract a serious illness and be affected by its symptoms within hours of coming into contact with it. Illnesses are highly variable and can affect individuals in different ways. For this reason, Oklahoma residents may know that living with a serious illness can look very different for every individuals.

Because illnesses can take on various characteristics and fall anywhere on the spectrum of severity, not all illnesses can be identified by the Social Security Administration as resulting in disability. As readers of this disability benefits blog may know, the definition of disability that the agency follows mandates several requirements that must be met before a person may be considered disabled and eligible for benefits.

Are disability benefits available for PTSD?

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability Benefits for Mental Conditions on Wednesday, September 26, 2018.

Not all illnesses are obvious to the human eye. In fact, many of the medical conditions that Oklahoma residents struggle with are completely hidden from view. While some of these latent disorders affect the physical functioning of their victims' bodies, others lurk in their mental states and psychological profiles.

One group of serious mental disorders that affects a number of different people is trauma-related disorders. These disorders develop when significant traumas or stresses impact the lives of those affected or the lives of people who are close to the affected individuals. A person who struggles with a trauma or stressed-based disorder may live with anxiety, fear, affected thoughts or dreams, and behaviors that permit them to avoid contact with others.

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