Indiana Disability Legal Blog

What happens to your benefits during the claims process?

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP posted in disability claims appeals process on Monday, June 17, 2019.

If you are receiving social security benefits in Indiana, you will have had to have gone through a thorough process to begin receiving those benefits in the first place. If administrators recognize that you may not need to be receiving benefits anymore or there is a discrepancy in your case, they may issue you a letter notifying you of their decision to rescind your benefits.

In this situation, you have the opportunity to appeal the decision that was made, but the question remains about what will happen with your benefits while you await their decision. According to the Social Security Administration, one of the reasons why administrators may have changed their mind about your eligibility to receive benefits may be because your medical condition and subsequent disability are no longer considered disabling.

Common mistakes to avoid when applying for SSD benefits

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP on Wednesday, June 12, 2019.

Social Security Disability benefits provide necessary financial relief to those suffering from disabling conditions across Indiana and the rest of the country. However, the application process can be long, frustrating and complex.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) denies many initial SSD claims. Many of these first-time claims are for legitimate disabling conditions, yet the application fails to comprehensively convey this. Because it can take months to learn the fate of your application, here are some common mistakes to avoid to strengthen your application:

Studying the SSA classification of anxiety

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP posted in physical & mental impairments on Monday, June 10, 2019.

Social Security Disability benefits are meant to allow those who suffer from some sort of debilitating condition to be able to still meet their basic financial expenses. Yet there may be some in Marion who believe that many of those receiving such benefits are abusing this privilege. They may see the fact that the Social Security Administration reports that as of 2017, nearly 8.7 million Americans were receiving SSD benefits supports their concerns, particularly knowing that one can qualify for assistance based on conditions as such as anxiety. Many may think that anxiety is something that everyone deals with, therefore disqualifying it as a condition that can be disabling.

Yet people cannot qualify for SSD benefits by simply saying that they suffer from anxiety. Instead, their condition must be diagnosed clinically. Indeed, the SSA has established a set of strict criteria for determining whether one's anxiety qualifies them for benefits.

Detailing SSD benefit criteria for joint pain

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP posted in physical & mental impairments on Monday, May 27, 2019.

When the term "disabling injury" is mentioned, most in Marion will likely envision serious injuries to major body systems that leave one almost totally dependent on the care of others. Yet in all actuality, the vast majority of injuries that lead to disability are less initially severe, yet their net effect is drastic over time. Indeed, according to information shared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, injuries to the upper and lower extremities rank among the top three most common injuries that force people to miss work.

The end result of upper and lower extremity injuries if often joint pain. While many may view joint pain as something that can be dealt with, pain in the knees, hips, wrists, elbows and shoulders can greatly limit one's ability to perform many of the tasks associated with labor. The question then becomes at what point does joint pain become disabling.

Cooperation is a key to a successful disability claim

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

Everything can be harder when you're experiencing a disability and worrying about money.

The last thing you probably want is doing business with a big bureaucracy.

America In The Top 10 For Most Stressed Countries

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP posted in physical & mental impairments on Wednesday, May 8, 2019.

A recent report points to stress as something many Americans are struggling with in today’s world. In this research, 150,000 people were surveyed and interviewed about their mental health. These people came from over 140 countries. Using the findings from this survey, the report estimated stress levels in different places across the globe.

The research found that around 55 percent of Americans reported suffering from stress. This put the U.S. among the ten most stressed nations on the planet. Specifically, it ranked No. 7.

Apply for disability with the help of your doctor

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP posted in ssd and working with your doctor on Friday, April 5, 2019.

Suffering a disability that will prevent you from working for the foreseeable future (at least one year) can allow you to file for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. When starting the process, you should enlist the help of not only an attorney, but also your doctor. Your doctor can wind up helping you immensely when applying for benefits in Indianapolis.

The most important part a doctor plays in helping you file for disability benefits is promptly providing the medical source statement. This statement explains, in detail, how much you will be able to lift, walk, stand or sit if you were to work while disabled. A doctor should be able to provide any and all limitations you will have physically if you return to work while disabled.

World Bipolar Day offers a time to learn, a chance to accept

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP posted in supplemental security income on Friday, March 29, 2019.

World Bipolar Day is being celebrated this year on March 30, 2019. It's a global opportunity to spread awareness about this serious mental condition, increase understanding of what victims and their families often endure and end the social stigma against mental illness.

Bipolar disorder (which used to be called "manic depression") is often confused with mere mood swings. In fact, it's actually a complicated imbalance of the chemicals in the brain -- and mood disturbances are only one problem that victims may experience. Some victims only experience manic phases -- while others tend to have mostly depressive phases with only a rare manic episode.

Applying for disability? Watch your social media posts

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP posted in social security disability on Thursday, March 21, 2019.

Applying for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits is a challenging process that requires completing a lot of paperwork and visiting your doctor – probably more than once. Soon, it also could require a spotless social media presence.

The recently released proposed federal budget includes funding that would allow the Social Security Administration (SSA) to evaluate applicants, in part, by reviewing their posts on Facebook and Instagram.

Medication side effects and your disability claim

On behalf of McKown, Whitehurst & Myers, LLP posted in the claims process on Friday, March 15, 2019.

When people fill out their initial paperwork for their Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application, many people actually forget to include information about an important part of their medical condition: the side effects they experience from their medications.

The side effects that come along with many medications can add a layer of difficulty to an individual's life that isn't present with their actual disease. However, Social Security won't consider the problems your medication causes you unless you bring those side effects to their attention. That's because every drug tends to affect individual patients in unique ways. While one patient might experience relatively mild side effects from a drug that can be classified as "merely inconvenient," someone else might have a much more severe reaction that's very limiting.