Oklahoma City Social Security Disability Law Blog

Personality disorders and disability benefits

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability Benefits for Mental Conditions on Thursday, March 21, 2019.

Mental illnesses and disorders are common and affect the lives of many Oklahoma residents. While most people have heard of depression and anxiety as common afflictions that can impact individuals' ways of life, there are a number of other mental conditions that can adversely alter how individuals live and operate in their environments. Personality disorders are a class of conditions that may avail individuals to disability benefits from the Social Security Administration.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, a personality disorder may influence how a person sees themselves, how they interact with others and how they control their emotions. There are about 10 different personality disorders that can influence the actions and behaviors of individuals.

How to make ends meet while you await SSDI benefits

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability on Tuesday, March 19, 2019.

Let us say you have an injury you believe makes you eligible to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits.

You have filed for SSDI, but it may be as long as a year and a half before you are approved and begin to receive payments. How are you going to make ends meet in the meantime?

Does TBI qualify you to receive Social Security Disability?

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability on Monday, March 18, 2019.

Perhaps you sustained a traumatic brain injury in a vehicle accident and are unable to work. How does the Social Security Administration view TBI, and are you eligible to file for SSDI benefits?

About TBI

Could a post or tweet lead to lost disability benefits?

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

There is no denying the fact that social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have drastically changed the ways that people communicate and interact. Through their social media accounts Oklahoma residents can keep in touch with their friends and loved ones, keep up on the news and offer their opinions on current event topics. It is an excellent way to share with others, but also a pervasive way for others to learn about strangers.

Not long ago the Social Security Administration published a report that suggested it is looking into ways to monitor social media to see if disability benefits recipients are committing fraud. Benefits fraud occurs when someone receives benefits and they do not qualify. The report suggests that surveillance may be used to see if people are engaging in activities that prove they do not have disabilities or are otherwise able to work.

The difference between paraplegia and quadriplegia

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability Benefits for Injuries on Thursday, March 7, 2019.

An injury to the spinal cord can be much more than just an injured back. While the back body strains and sprains that often slow down Oklahoma residents can be painful and limiting, a spinal cord injury can be permanent and life-altering. This post does not offer its readers any legal or medical advice, but instead offers information on two serious spinal cord injury complications that may avail them to disability benefits from the Social Security Administration.

Paraplegia is a condition characterized by paralysis in legs and lower trunk of the body. It is generally caused by a complete injury to the spinal cord at a point in the back rather than the neck. If a person suffers an incomplete injury to the spine they may have some sensation and movement in this region of the body and their injury would not be classified as paraplegia.

What is a trial work period?

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability on Wednesday, February 27, 2019.

Previous posts here have discussed a wide variety of topics related to disability benefits and the process of securing them from the Social Security Administration. A disabling illness or injury can be a major hurdle for Oklahoma residents to overcome in their efforts to live independently and make their own way. For some, finding work despite their disabilities may be a goal that they wish to achieve.

However, employment can sometimes be a bar to receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. If a person can work then they may not need the support of the benefits program and may be denied initial or continuing disability benefits coverage. For those who are unsure if they will be able to make it on their own in jobs and without receiving disability benefits, the trial work period may be helpful.

What happens if it is possible for a disability to get better?

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability on Wednesday, February 20, 2019.

Previous posts here have discussed how individual disability claims may be reviewed after they have been approved. Reviews are done to ensure that individuals are getting the support that they need, but also to ensure that individuals who are capable of working are seeking other means of financial support besides their SSDI payments. When a person is approved for disability benefits their ailment may be identified as one that will possibly improve, and that identification may influence when the person's case review is performed.

If a person's disabling ailment is considered to be expected to improve, then their review will happen shortly after they begin to receive benefits. That review may occur anywhere from six months after their approval to a year and a half later. If their disabling condition will possibly improve their review will generally occur no sooner than three years after their claim is approved.

Mistakes people make on SSDI applications

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability on Monday, February 18, 2019.

When you have an injury or illness that qualifies you for Social Security Disability benefits, you want to make sure you have the best shot at an approval. The SSDI application is one of the most integral documents you may need to fill out.

The SSDI application may seem complicated, and rightfully so: It is not something you should fill out unaided. When you do not seek help from a professional when filling out the application, you may wind up making one or all of these three common mistakes.

Not all disabilities are readily apparent

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability Benefits for Mental Conditions on Thursday, February 14, 2019.

Some illnesses and injuries ravage the bodies of their victims and leave them with obvious, visible scars. Oklahoma residents who have lived through surgeries and accidents, cancers and other physical illnesses, may show the signs of their traumas on their bodies. Their suffering may be inferred by those who do not know them, because of the signs they outwardly carry.

However, not every serious illness or disability is something that can be seen by others. In fact, some serious conditions may reside in their victims and slowly erode their confidence, happiness and capacities to function. Mental illnesses are very real and very damaging to their victims, even when they cannot be identified on sight.

Factors considered during disability determination

On behalf of Gary Jones of The Law Center for Social Security Disability posted in Social Security Disability on Thursday, February 7, 2019.

Living with a disability can be a challenge for Oklahoma residents, particularly if they are unable to work because of their condition. Because individuals who suffer from disabling illnesses, injuries and impairments may not be able to support themselves by working, the Social Security Administration offers disability benefits to those who qualify. However, due to the many factors that are considered during a disability determination, disabled individuals may find that their claim for disability benefits has been rejected.

This is because the Social Security Administration looks at applicants' educational backgrounds, prior work experiences and possible alternative career paths when assessing their needs for disability benefits. If a person is unable to do the work they had performed prior to their disability, then they may be directed to pursue another line of work instead of receiving disability benefits.

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