Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What Happens At An ALJ Disability Hearing
Waiting to learn of a decision on one’s disability claim through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program is one of the most nerve-wracking aspects of the whole process. While claimants are rightfully asking for the opportunity to access benefits they paid into the system for years, getting approval for SSDI benefits is known… Read More »
SSDI And Understanding Options To Qualify Under Arthritis
Arthritis is one of the most common ailments that lead to debilitation as a person ages. It typically causes inflammation and constriction of the joints that affects a person’s ability to move and/or engage in normal daily tasks. Arthritis, even with proper therapy and medication, is quite severe for many individuals, and results in… Read More »
Your Options When Benefits Are Terminated
Getting approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is no small feat, and almost always requires going through multiple levels of appeals that can stretch into years. This financial assistance is vital to most disabled individuals who suffer from impairments significant enough to prevent working, and once approved, these benefits can be paid… Read More »
Chronic Pain, Opioids And Qualifying For SSDI
Finding ways to manage and cope with a disabling condition is a continual challenge, and treating physicians will often go through a number of options looking for a plan that can provide the highest amount of relief and return of functionality. Chronic pain, often linked to musculoskeletal conditions or injuries, is the daily reality… Read More »
Qualifying For SSDI Benefits As A U.S. Military Veteran
Military veterans provided a valuable service to this country that often comes at significant physical and mental cost. The likelihood of suffering a disabling injury or developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is considerably higher for these individuals, and lead many to seek disability benefits when working becomes impossible. While most veterans instinctively turn to… Read More »
Delays On New Federal Regulations Meant To Help Disability Claimants
Filing a claim for long-term disability insurance coverage is often a lengthy and frustrating process. Not only is a person dealing with debilitating mental and/or physical issues, but he/she must also worry about the financial implications of having the claim denied. Long-term disability coverage is offered through private individual insurance policies and through employer-sponsored… Read More »
How Failing To Follow Or Discontinuing Treatment Can Affect Your Disability Claim
The bar to get approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits was specifically designed to be quite high, reflecting the program’s intent to limit benefits to those wholly unable to work due to disability. Temporary disability benefits are not offered, despite calls for this type of reform, which puts added pressure on the… Read More »
The Delicate Balance Of Working And Keeping SSDI Benefits
Disability is not a circumstance that many people plan for in advance, or even think about as a possibility. If asked, most people would envision working until at least retirement age, but this imagined future may be completely derailed once the onset of a disability occurs. Most individuals unable to work due to disability… Read More »
Citizenship, Residency And Qualifying For SSDI
Where a person chooses to live is much more fluid in today’s world compared with the past, when most people lived their entire life in one place. This fluidity has translated into people living in multiple States, and some to move outside the country entirely. This mobility may be beneficial for employment purposes, but… Read More »
Convincing The SSA To Approve Disability Benefits For Fibromyalgia
Obtaining medical confirmation of a disabling condition or illness is a before-and-after moment that marks the time and place a person learns how their life will be drastically altered in the long-term or permanently. Unfortunately, bills and other necessary expenses must still be paid, and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is the option many… Read More »