Don't ask for directions in Florida

A thread at SSA Connect posits a worthwhile question: What is an acceptable margin of error for the application of the death penalty?In my opinion, there is no acceptable margin, meaning that if such a penalty is to be applied, the proof of guilt must be absolutely irrefutable.Here's a story of a senseless killing that almost makes you wish there were surveillance cameras at every street corner (

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Fall from Grace? I'm a Mel Gibson fan, but...

Good Grief, this has got to be one of the weirdest hollywood stories in recent years. Well, ok, Michael Jackson and George Michael are much weirder. I guess for Gibson, this one is just a bit sad. Actually, really sad considering some of the great movies this actor/director has done.Here are a couple that many may not be aware of, but which are fantastic:Gallipoli (WWI film, one of Mel Gibson's

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Social Security Disability SSI and Chronic Pain

Currently, I'm reading a book about headaches and migraines and the sections regarding pain response and "referred pain" are pretty interesting. What's also interesting is the phenomenon in which a person who has been subjected to pain for long periods can 1. become even more sensitive to experiencing pain and 2. can unknowingly adopt physical and psychological patterns that exacerbate and

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Social Security Disability is Easy ?

In a recent post, I spoke about the inevitable problems of relying heavily on technology (Social Security Disability, SSI, the system, and technology ). Well, my spouse who is a CR at a social security field office, is going in to work today on a saturday. Reason: they couldn't electronically input their work for several days and had to rely on paper. Today, since the system is back up, they'll

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Social Security Disability, SSI, the system, and technology, Part Deux

I came across this on attorney Charles Halls' blog (excellent news source by the way - original post: DSI New Decisional Software )----Apparently, DDS examiners will be required to use a new software system that will "will walk them through the decision making process [under DSI] to improve accuracy and consistency".Hopes for the software are: "due to the quality of the decision making using the

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US House Panel Cautious About Social Security Disability Program

The title of this post is taken from the title of another blog post which may be a word-for-word instance of infringement of someone else's copyright. Having said that, here's an excerpt from the other blog post:"A 22% rise in disability applications over the past five years has resulted in an average 477-day wait for an administrative law judge decision on a disability claim, according to the

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Social Security Disability, SSI, the system, and technology

My spouse, like me, is a former disability examiner. However, she is also a current claims rep at a social security field office. She told me something interesting when she got home from yesterday. Well...maybe it's not that interesting since the situation itself is fairly obvious, but I'll pass it on anyway.They had a system outtage of some kind. Not a power outtage, but, rather a problem with

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Social Security Disability SSI and Strokes

Disability Examiners see a fair number of social security disability and SSI disability applications for which the primary allegation is stroke. And, unfortunately, after evaluating the residuals from a stroke three months post-cva (cerebrovascular accident) they turn a lot of these cases down as well. Here's some interesting information regarding strokes:1. "There are 750,000 strokes in America

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Will Federal Reviewing Officials make a difference in the Social Security Disability SSI system ?

You have to wonder about this, and on many levels. I'm thinking this will be a multi-part post about the projected efficacy of FROs (federal reviewing officials -- these are the new "cogs" in the disability evaluation system who will replace reconsideration-level examiners beginning in August, 2006 in the SSA Boston region, which is, essentially, New England) since there are many issues to

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Social Security Disability SSI and falling down financially

Here's a story, the basics of which, unfortunately, form a common template for many social security disability and SSI disability claims. Kim Stubblefield, a resident of Illinois, worked sixteen years in a hospital medical records department. She was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2000, left her job to have her condition treated, attempted to return to work but was unable to keep up, went on

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A small percentage of disabled vets receive Social Security Disability benefits

According to the congressional budget office, only fifteen percent of veterans receiving disability benefits from the VA also receive social security disability benefits. Return to the Social Security Disability SSI Benefits BlogOther PostsCan you apply for social security disability or ssi if you are working?How can you win disability if you don't have health insurance and can't get seen by a

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Canadian drug imports get a boost from Congress?

There was a brief AP article recently, the headline of which read "Candadian drug imports get a boost". Seeing the headline and reading just a bit into the article, I felt pleasantly astounded since the nation's leadership (executive and legislative) has historically been deadset against making it easier for individuals to get their medications cheaper. ...then I read the rest of it. Though the

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The State of things: minimum wage, jobs that suck, and poor people in the U.S.A.

I usually don't read Molly Ivin's column, but the other day I did and I came across some information that's worthy of repetition. None of this, of course, is surprising; just the same, it's useful to hear/read/see the numbers.1. The minimum wage has not been changed in 9 years while congress (notice I did not capitalize the word congress...infer from that what you will) has voted to raise its own

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Social Security Disability SSI and the Fear of Rejection

Here's a post from a blogger who expresses the dread that many disability claimants must surely feel when a notice regarding their pending social security disability or SSI claim arrives in the mail. Fortunately, for this blogger, the letter was not a notice of denial, but, instead, concerned the need for a C.E. (consultative exam). Fortunately, as well, he seems to be mentally prepared for what,

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What is it like to get an MRI ?

If you've been involved in representing social security disability or SSI claimants or adjudicating claims for any appreciable length of time, you've, no doubt, read a gazillion MRI reports. But what's it like to have an MRI done?Here's what it's like (I had to have one done on my left shoulder -- old rotator cuff injury from wrestling 23 years ago, aggravated by heavy weightlifting over several

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Regarding changes to the Disability System...sounds very strange

This is several days old and is from a recent press release regarding doctoral student Melanie Ellexson, who has been appointed by the Social Security Administration to a national panel. The panel she has been appointed to is examining how to improve the process for determining disability status. Maybe it's just me, but from reading these excerpts, this sounds a bit strange.“Our charge is to look

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Social Security Reps and Online filing

I recently read on a post from Attorney Charles Hall's blog that the social security administration is considering requiring "large, for-profit third party filers" to use Social Security's electronic form 3368.From what my own spouse, who is a social security field office rep, says, that wouldn't be a bad idea at all. Currently, field offices receive electronic and paper filings from reps.

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Social Security Disability and Vocational Considerations

I just came across this blog post about an individual who is deaf, is receiving disability benefits, is working, and is using his trial work months. If you read the post, it may give you an inkling of why the disability evaluation system , as it current exists, is setup in a good way, in that it attempts to take into consideration "vocational concerns" (i.e. it gives consideration to factors such

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Social Security Disability Representation in Minnesota and Wisconsin

I've probably mentioned the phrase "non attorney representative" on this blog and on my website more than I can count. Well, here's a good example of a non attorney who has a thriving practice in the midwest. Disability Specialist, Inc., as it's called was started by Tom Ehrbright 20 years ago and now serves disability claimants in Minnesota, Wisconsin and eastern North Dakota with 18

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Believing in the federal government and elected representatives is like believing in the tooth fairy

What can I say? I like the way this blogger thinks....thanks to the wonderful bankruptcy "reform" bill passed by Congress and signed by Our Glorious Leader™. Sleazy debt collection agenciesReturn to the Social Security Disability SSI Benefits BlogOther Posts:Can you apply for social security disability or ssi if you are working?How can you win disability if you don't have health insurance and

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Fewer Disabled Workers In Federal Civilian Jobs

This article from the Washington Post is about the declining percentage of disabled workers among the federal workforce (currently less than one percent). The only snippet that really drew my eye is: "Experts are not sure what accounts for the falling federal numbers. Some suspect that more disabled employees are retiring as part of the aging of the federal workforce." Nothing new there, of

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Can Social Security Disability benefits be garnished ?

Yes, social security disability benefits can be garnished. However, garnishment can only be carried out in a few specific scenarios. According to the social security administration, SSI benefits cannot be garnished, while social security disability benefits may only be garnished to enforce child and alimony obligations, pay federal tax and debts owed to the IRS, and pay debts owed to federal

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Drug companies and treatments for Macular Degeneration

The biotech company, Genentech, has just won approval for Lucentis, a drug designed to treat patients with macular degeneration. This is fantastic news, of course, for patients with this condition. Doses of lucentis run are nearly $2000, though. Interestingly enough, Genentech has an anti-cancer drug, Avastin, which has been used off-label to treat about 10,000 MD patients. Avastin doses are only

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What does the future hold for the disabled?

"Current major issues are driven by cost, and we'll all be paying in the end. The question is how and how much."What does the future hold for the disabled? Return to the Social Security Disability SSI Benefits BlogOther PostsCan you apply for social security disability or ssi if you are working?How can you win disability if you don't have health insurance and can't get seen by a doctor ?

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