DISABILITY SURVIVAL GUIDE: NORTH ALABAMA EDITION

Getting approved for Social Security disability benefits in Alabama or Tennessee is very difficult with the denial rate on new claims hovering around 78 percent. Which SSDI claims are especially difficult to get approved?  Some include:   Mental Health Conditions. Mental illness stands as one of the most prevalent causes of disability, yet its impact is often underestimated or misunderstood. ... Chronic Pain Disorders. ... Fibromyalgia. ... Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. ... Autoimmune Disorders. ......Anything you can't prove by a laboratory test, X-ray or MRI.  ("Invisible diseases).   A claimant requires excellent objective medical records to be approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.  Social Security wants the definite diagnosis of your severe medical or mental impairments.  Having laboratory test or imaging studies showing the severity of your condition is usually required. There are conditions that defy objective evidence....

The current government shutdown is about to become the longest one in the nation's history.  History's longest shutdown was in December 2024 - January 2025 which lasted for 35 days. The current shutdown has been going on since October 1, for 28 days now.  If not concluded within a week, this will become the longest government shutdown in history.  Everyone is hurting. And I really don't care who's at fault. I'm tired of the blame game.  I think most Americans are, too. I like what the American Federation of Government  Employees (AFGE) has said:  "Reopen the government immediately under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.  Ensure back pay for every single employee who has served or been forced to stay home through no fault of their own.  Work together on a bipartisan basis to address important policy matters like addressing rising costs and fixing the broken appropriations process." (End of the AFGE quo...

October 24, 2025:  Today, Social Security announced a 2.8% benefit increase for 2026. This will increase the average monthly Social Security benefit for disability beneficiaries from $1,586 to $1,630. The COLA will take effect beginning in January 2026. During the third week of October each year the Social Security Administration announces a Cost of Living (COLA) increase that will take effect the following January.  

(866) 593-0665 is the number for the local Huntsville Social Security office. (866) 593-0665 reaches the local Huntsville field office directly. This number is not widely published. When you search for Huntsville Social Security, you are often sent to the national toll free number (800) 722-1213.  This does NOT ring at the Huntsville Social Security office. By calling locally at (866) 593-0665 you will be answered by an automated system (recording).  You may need to hold for several minutes to be connected to a live agent; however, the local call has a much shorter hold time than the national 800 number. Decatur, AL Social Security phone:  (888) 289-9185 For help with Social Security disability claims, denied claims, appeals or hearings call The Forsythe Firm in Huntsville for a free consultation. (256) 799-0297 

  WHAT NOT TO SAY TO SOCIAL SECURITY   So, you’re trying for Social Security disability benefits? Here are things you can write or say that will nearly always get you rejected : 1.      I stopped working due to any reason besides disability.   Some common mistakes would include:   getting laid off, my employer’s business closed, I lost my transportation, or I stayed home with a sick family member.   None of these are disabilities and Social Security will not pay a benefit for them.   When you say one of these, your case has died.    2.    My employer fired me.   The question is, why did you get fired? If you were fired for absenteeism, doing sloppy work or arguing with the boss, it is not helpful to a disability case.   However, if you were fired due to poor health and difficulty performing your job duties, it can support your case for disability.   If you frequent absences were due to sickness or me...

The chance of winning a Social Security Disability (SSD) appeal varies significantly by stage, with approval rates being very low at the reconsideration (around 15%) and Appeals Council (about 1% for direct approval) stages, but the odds improve at the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing level (around 45-50%) .     Having legal representation can nearly triple your chances of winning at the ALJ level, and documenting functional limitations thoroughly is crucial for success at all stages.   Here are the 3 Levels of Appeal within the Social Security Administration "Reconsideration" - the first level of appeal.  Your claim goes back to the state agency that denied it for review by a different evaluator.  The odds of approval here are no more than 10 percent, very poor.  This is a required appeal before other action may be taken. Hearing by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).  Judges hold hearings on cases denied at the "reconsideration" level....

By Charles W. Forsythe, The Forsythe Firm, Huntsville, AL   I am going to discuss 4 ways to get your Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits taken away. I'm not saying these are the only ways--just 4 common ways. Going to work. If you receive SSDI benefits you may not work at Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) . If you do, Social Security will consider you to be no longer disabled and stop your benefits. (SGA is an amount of earned income set by Social Security each year. In 2025 you are working at SGA level if you earn wages or self-employment of at least $1,620 per month (gross). This is NOT a limit on how much income you can have; it is a limit on how much you can WORK. There are no exceptions and it doesn't matter WHY you are working. Continuing Disability Review (CDR). Social Security will periodically review your case to see if you remain eligible for benefits. If they find that you've made "significant medical improvement" they may discontinue yo...

Claimants may get approved for Social Security disability (SSDI) at any age and with almost any medical condition.  However, not all cases are equal.  Here, I'm going to try to break down SSDI cases into 3 categories based on certain characeristics.  To see which category YOUR case falls into, speak to an experienced Social Security lawyer.  No two cases are alike and you may not be able to evaluate your case just by using this general information.   STRONG CASE Claimant is at least 50 years of age but not yet full retirement age. Claimant has at least one severe and medically determined medical/mental impairment that has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 straight months. Has worked at least 5 years out of the most recent 10-year period Has had current and regular medical treatment and is compliant with treatment. The claimant is not presently working due to a severe disability or medical condition. Has recently been seen by a medical specialist and ...

  October 1, 2025 HOW THE SHUTDOWN AFFECTS SOCIAL SECURITY My good friend Attorney Karl Osterhout has provided me with a lot of good information about how the US government shutdown will affect Social Security. I want to share this with you. As all of you are undoubtedly aware, the federal government shut down at midnight on October 1. The early indication is that this may last for some time. Understandably, this creates concern for our clients and for the professionals who represent them. Below is the best information available right now about how this might affect clients who are in the process of applying for benefits. Benefits to Current Claimants Clients already receiving Social Security, SSI, or SSDI benefits will continue receiving payments without interruption. This has been true in all 20 previous shutdowns since 1976, and disability benefits remain funded as “mandatory spending” outside of congressional appropriations. Pending Claims and Applications Hearings:  The...

For individuals struggling to pay for prescription drugs, there is good news.   President Trump met with Pharmaceutical executives this week and negotiated a direct-to-consumers program that can drastically reduce the cost of your prescription drugs--up to 50 percent, they report. Pfizer Pharmaceutical, one of the nation's largest drug manufacturers, agreed to establish a direct website called TrumpRX.gov which will be run by the government.  The public can use this website to purchase prescription drugs directly from the manufacturer at savings up to 50 percent. The website is to be up and running sometime in 2026.  Officials say this agreement also puts pressure on other drug companies to reduce prices. “We are proud to join President Trump at the White House to celebrate this landmark agreement that is a win for American patients, a win for American leadership, and a win for Pfizer,” said Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer. “By working close...