DISABILITY SURVIVAL GUIDE: NORTH ALABAMA EDITION

When you file a claim for Social Security disability it comes down to 2 things: 1.  Can the judge pay the claim? 2.  Does he/she want to? There are a few cases where the judge really believes that you are disabled and deserving of benefits - but he/she can't legally pay you. Here are some of the reasons that Social Security may want to pay your claim but cannot: 1.  Your disability began after your Date Last Insured (DLI).  In simple terms, you SSDI coverage expired before you became disabled.  There is no coverage. 2.  You have not earned sufficient work credits, or "quarters of coverage" to be insured for SSDI.  Here, also, you have no coverage under Social Security Disability Insurance. 3.  Your impairment has not lasted for at least 12 consecutive months or you can't demonstrate that your condition is medically expected to last for at least 12 straight months.  There is no short term benefit. 4.  You have returned to work at "Substan...

 If you are denied Social Security disability benefits, you only have 60 days to file a written appeal. Most claims are approved in the appeal stage.  So the 60 days matter.   If you've been denied, this is NOT Social Security's final word.  Even though the denial letters says "You are not disabled under our rules," you may indeed be eligible for benefits. Social Security denies up to 80 percent of initial applications.  Routinely.  They just do.  (They don't do a very good job in reviewing applications).  At the appeals hearing level, 50 to 58 percent of claims are PAID . If you have been denied, you must act quickly. Call Charles W. Forsythe at the Forsythe Firm in Huntsville. (256) 799-0297. Mr. Forsythe has 25 years experience in Social Security disability appeals and hearings.  The Forsythe Firm has a great record of securing maximum benefits, including maximum past due payments. Advantages of Representation by The Forsythe Firm We do So...

  Social Security Disability claims are denied 8 times out of 10.  Approval on the first application is rare.  Things you should know: 1.  Getting an early denial does NOT mean that you are not qualified or that you are not disabled.   2.  Social Security's approval process is flawed and produces an error rate of over 50 percent.  Yes.  More than one-half of the denials issued for SSDI applications are wrong.  The system is programed to deny you. Over one-half of denials can be overturned and PAID on appeal. It may take 2 appeals to get approved. --Reconsideration (first appeal) likely to be denied, too. --Hearing before Administrative Law Judge (your best chance). According to a study by the US Government, you are 3 times more likely to be approved if you are represented by an experienced Social Security disability lawyer.  3 times more likely! What Does an Experienced Attorney Cost? Nothing until after you are approved and receiv...

 FACTORS AFFECTING YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CLAIM There are several factors that will affect whether or not you can receive Social Security disability benefits.  Some of these factors you can control-- and some you can't. AGE:  While persons of all ages get disability benefits, it is clear that persons who are age 50 or older have an advantage. EDUCATION:  Education generally prepares a person to work.  Individuals with more education may have access to more jobs than individuals who have limited education.  Thus, a highly educated person may have more of a challenge with a disability claim. PAST WORK EXPERIENCE:  A highly skilled person is able to perform jobs that the unskilled person cannot.  Therefore, skilled jobs may be lighter work or less physically demanding than unskilled jobs. MEDICAL IMPAIRMENT(S):  All claimants must have a severe, medically determinable impairment that interferes with the ability ...

According to a recent survey, here are common complaints about disability lawyers: . Lack of Personal Communication and "Ghosting" Never Meeting the Attorney: Clients often complain that they never meet their attorney until the day of their hearing. Poor Communication: Many report not being able to reach their attorney or legal team to get updates on their cases, leading to anxiety. High Turnover/Case Managers: Clients often talk to assistants or case managers, not the lawyer they hired, especially at large "TV" law firms.    They just won't return my calls. One client of a large law firm said, "I've been trying to contact my lawyer for the last 5 months. They just won't call me back." At The Forsythe Firm we believe that "the greatest ability is AVAILABILITY." We don't operate as a "wholesale law firm," where you take thousands of cases, invest as little time in each as possible, and hope a percentage of them are suc...

What are clients' biggest complaints about Social Security disability lawyers? THEY WON'T TALK TO ME. THEY WON'T CALL ME BACK. I KEEP GETTING HANDED OFF TO AIDES AND SECRETARIES. Looking for a Social Security lawyer that will actually TALK to you?  One that will personally take charge of your claim or appeal? One that will stay with your case from start to finish--all the way to a judge, if necessary? One that will give you his personal cell phone number? (Really, I'm not kidding)! One with 25 years of Social Securit y disability experience? A lawyer with 5-star reviews by clients. A lawyer rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. I'm Charles W. Forsythe, founder of The Forsythe Firm in Huntsville, AL. I do nothing but Social Security disability advocacy and I've done it for almost 25 years. If you call me, you get me.  If you hire me, you get me--start to finish.  I won't hand you off to someone else. If you call and don't reach me, I WILL call you back ...