For Workers, “Disability” Can Mean Two Different Things

Often times, I have clients who are confused by the general term 'disability'. Where does the confusion come from? It comes from what they actually mean by applying for or being on 'disability'. Let me explain. When a person who has worked all their lives suddenly can no longer work due to a disabling condition, the first though is to seek 'disability'. They often confuse two very different 'disability' benefits. First, there is Social Security Disability (SSDI). SSDI benefits are…

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Your Medical Records and Social Security Disability

What appears in your medical records will be absolutely critical for Social Security Disability. Why? The statutes and regulations governing Social Security Disability (SSD) provides ultimate authority on the determination if you meet the definition of disabled to the Social Security Administration. In making that determination, there is a review of your medical records of the medical providers that you provided on your application for benefits. Your medical providers document your visits to their office. Specifically, most medical records are…

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Read more about the article Mooney Law helps clients apply for SSD benefits
Mooney & Associates representing social security clients

Mooney Law helps clients apply for SSD benefits

Applying for Social Security Disability benefits can be confusing and complex. Besides the multitude of paperwork, it also includes providing medical records, wage information, employment information, and other information, for the Social Security Administration to be able to make an informative decision on your initial application for SSD benefits. At Mooney Law, we can help you with your initial SSD application. Do you have questions about whether applying for benefits is right for you? Do you have questions about the…

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Common Mistakes Made When Applying for Social Security Disability

Applying for social security disability can be confusing, complex, time consuming, and frustrating.  Furthermore, the process can be daunting because, on average, 70% of all applications are denied.   So what are the common mistakes made when applying for social security disability benefits?    Incomplete Work History.  Work history and whether an applicant can perform past relevant work is important in determining whether your application is approved.  This particularly becomes important for older applicants.   Providing accurate job data is critical.  It…

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Mooney Law: A Pennsylvania Disability law practice

Mooney Law represents clients throughout Pennsylvania and is a full Pennsylvania Disability Law practice. What do we mean by that? Representing Injured and Disabled clients throughout Pennsylvania At Mooney Law, we represent disabled clients in the following areas: Pennsylvania Workers Compensation: We represent injured workers throughout Pennsylvania. We have a full workers compensation litigation practice, from litigating denied injuries, to defending against employer petitions to terminate or suspend benefits, to litigating descriptions of injury, to obtaining a fair and reasonable…

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Read more about the article What is the rule on work credits for Social Security Disability?
Mooney & Associates representing social security clients

What is the rule on work credits for Social Security Disability?

To be eligible for social security disability, you must have enough work credits.  As you may recall reading here, SSDI (Social Security Disability) and SSI (Social Security Supplemental Income) are entirely two different programs.  Briefly, SSI is a needs based program, has no work credit requirements, has an asset limitation, and has a maximum amount it can pay an individual monthly.  SSDI on the other hand is different.  You have to be ELIGIBLE for SSDI.  Before we even begin the…

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Count on Mooney for Long Term Disability Insurance Appeals

Some employers offer employees both short-term and long-term disability insurance.  These benefits are provided to an employee when the employees is out of work for disability purposes. Short term disability insurance usually range between 9 and 26 weeks of payments (usually a certain percentage of your wages) for an individual who is unable to work.  If the company offers and the employee elected long-term disability, then after short-term disability expires, the employee could convert to the long-term disability insurance.  To…

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With Social Security Disability, seriousness of the condition is important, not the diagnosis

Sometimes I get a new client calling to inquire about social security disability benefits because the have been diagnosed with diabetes, or MS, or fibromyalgia, or any medical diagnosis of a medical condition.  I think some clarification is needed about what the Social Security Administration (SSA) and/or the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) consider in awarding or denying an applicant social security disability benefits. It is important to know that it is not the diagnosis itself that is disabling.  It is…

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Read more about the article Working ‘under the table’ can devastate you financially if you become disabled
Mooney & Associates representing social security clients

Working ‘under the table’ can devastate you financially if you become disabled

Besides the fact that it is illegal to work 'under the table' because you are evading paying income taxes, it can also be devastating for a person who later in life becomes disabled and attempts to get Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.  Before we even begin discussing your medical condition that you feel disables you from working, we must first determine whether you are ELIGIBLE for SSD benefits.  If you recall from our prior article, SSD has work credit requirements. …

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Social Security Disability is NOT an entitlement program

It really is a shame that Social Security Disability has such a stigma attached to it.  And there is.  There is that thought out there that people on Social Security Disability are getting nothing but 'hand outs' or 'entitlements' or 'welfare'.  It's our political world of uninformed opinions that grips our society today. Fact is, that workers have paid for these benefits through their payroll taxes over their entire career.   Just like you to pay into unemployment or car…

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