tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:37:16 +0000http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/blogindex.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)Blogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-5358907668088864768Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:26:00 +00002008-07-01T12:37:16.385-04:00Someone recently expressed this sentiment in a comment on a blog. They essentially said "If you get the right documentation and persist at it, you won't need a lawyer". So, the question, "Do you need a lawyer for a social security disability case?" Well, you're not required to have one at any point in the process. And, if you choose to have representation, you can choose a non-attorney, many of http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/07/you-shouldnt-get-lawyer-for-social.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-1937816816479289576Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:44:00 +00002008-06-27T15:45:02.016-04:00It seems to be fairly typical that, after a social security hearing has been held, a decision may not be forthcoming for weeks, and perhaps months. This is often the case even when an ALJ (administrative law judge) has indictated at the time of the hearing that he intends to pay the case (i.e. award disability benefits). In my own experiences involving claimant representation, I have found that http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-social.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-7339012534104627481Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:38:00 +00002008-06-27T15:42:27.261-04:00Over two hundred thousand Americans have surgery each year to relieve spinal cord or nerve compression. One year since its FDA approval, artificial cervical disc surgery has not only gained the respect of the medical community, but has become a less expensive surgical option for patients who need to relieve spinal or nerve root compression. In a study funded by the only approved artificial dischttp://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/artificial-disc-surgery-proves-be.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-4730156141788757973Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:27:00 +00002008-06-26T14:32:42.739-04:00Usually, when people use the phrase "speed up" in conjunction with a disability hearing, what they really mean is "Can I speed up my request for a disability hearing?" And the answer to that question is, yes, you can sometimes be successful in getting your hearing request expedited if you have a dire need basis for having this done, or if you contact a sentaor or congressman's office to have a http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/can-you-speed-up-social-security.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-3256141246930800807Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:21:00 +00002008-06-26T14:23:51.325-04:00Recently, an article in the Wall Street Journal suggested that Dr. Frederick Wolfe (director of the National Databank for Rheumatic Disease) has changed his opinion since coauthoring a paper that set forth diagnostic rules for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia in 1990. At that time Dr. Wolfe believed that a new disease had been discovered; Dr Wolfe now suggests that fibromyalia is clearly not a http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/pioneer-in-fibromyalgia-research-has.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-2125658552951224180Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:41:00 +00002008-06-25T15:47:19.551-04:00An individual in a forum recently complained that they had sent an appeal in to the social security office (a request for reconsideration), had not heard anything regarding the appeal for several months, and then learned, after calling social security, that the appeal had never been received. This happens more often than I can say. Unfortunately, if a claimant submits a disability appeal and http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/what-to-do-if-social-security-loses.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-3330591610553079829Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:37:00 +00002008-06-25T15:37:34.421-04:00Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that affects approximately six million Americans; it is the sixth leading cause of disability in the United States. Statistics show that it can take up to seven years to appropriately diagnose the illness, while many other illnesses are ruled out and oftentimes many other drugs and medications are inappropriately prescribed. A new biotechnology startup http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/psynome-at-home-saliva-test-for-bipolar.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-7755979705898070143Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:34:00 +00002008-06-25T15:35:07.734-04:00Up until recently, if you were a sufferer of degenerative disc disease or other cervical disc problems, your best option for a treatment was spinal fusion. While spinal fusion certainly did revolutionize the treatment of cervical disc issues in the 1990’s, it turned out to only be a sort of ‘band aid’ for later problems. Since figuring out that spinal fusion was only postponing cervical disc http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/cervical-disc-replacement-superior-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-1022730639168852684Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:16:00 +00002008-06-24T20:18:29.009-04:00Typically, it takes several months to years from the date of an initial filing for an applicant to receive a final answer on a disability claim. True, there are some claims that are approved fairly quickly on their first time through the system, but these are by far the minority of cases. Nationwide, about 7 out of 10 cases are denied on an initial application. The wait for disability benefits http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/long-social-security-disability-wait.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-2781529600760187979Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:12:00 +00002008-06-24T20:15:00.933-04:00Carpal Tunnel was an extremely popular worker’s compensation issue just a decade ago, causing many to worry that their computer jobs were going to cause them much suffering in the future. Funny enough, with more computer jobs than ever, reported cases of the injury are way down. The number of carpal tunnel injuries went down 66 percent from 1994 to 2006, reported the U.S. Bureau of Labor http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/is-carpal-tunnel-syndrome-fading-away.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-3254518868539332473Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:08:00 +00002008-06-24T20:09:08.922-04:00Along with depression, Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common occurrence for those who have experienced military combat or have been sexually assaulted, but researchers at Boston University are reporting that they think PTSD is not always realized and oftentimes mistaken for depression. The hospital found that 22 percent of the patients at their primary care clinic were found to have http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/ptsd-increases-hospitalization-rates-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-1260198423237497017Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:37:00 +00002008-06-17T15:44:19.598-04:00Is there a way to win a social security disability case fast? I generally approach topics like this by either pointing out the various things a claimant can do to enhance their case, or the various types of mistakes they should avoid on an application for SSI disability or SSD disability. However, I chose this title because I came across one individual's description of how he filed the http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/how-to-win-social-security-disability.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-8481363507720273975Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:34:00 +00002008-06-17T15:34:57.629-04:00Most people are fairly certain that carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by repetitive hand use, such as typing on the computer a lot, playing tennis all day or repeated lifting movements with the wrist. After all, carpal tunnel is characterized by pain, numbness, weakness or tingling in the wrist, hand and arm, caused by the median nerve being constricted. Some doctors are even certain that repeatedhttp://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/carpal-tunnel-not-caused-by-repetitive.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-128163731398045718Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:25:00 +00002008-06-17T15:26:13.974-04:00No one likes having abdominal fat, though Americans have more than most. A new study has shown that not only is abdominal fat unhealthy for the body in the form of heart disease and other conditions, but it’s also unhealthy for the mind. The study, conducted at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, CA, found that those in their 40’s with the most abdominal fat were also those who two times more likely http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/does-abdominal-fat-lead-to-dementia.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-2985985513983119731Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:32:00 +00002008-06-12T12:33:52.246-04:00For those who aren't aware, the social security administration has an impairment listing manual. This list of impairments is organized according to body systems (e.g. musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, endocrine, etc) and contains a number of known mental and physical impairments and the disability approval criteria for each. Will you get approved for disability if you meet the requirements of a http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/what-if-you-dont-meet-disability.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-2442355090392069936Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:27:00 +00002008-06-12T12:28:38.095-04:00Bowen therapy is a complementary and alternative healing method created in the 1950’s by Tom Bowen, a gifted healer who was known to treat thousands of people each year. Experts have reported that Bowen therapy is good for pain, asthma, migraines, fibromyalgia, TMJ, cerebral palsy and a host of other issues, from fertility issues to anxiety and slipped discs. The technique is non-invasive and http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/what-is-bowen-therapy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-2010366355591065404Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:23:00 +00002008-06-12T12:24:24.750-04:00Have you ever been walking and suddenly had to stop because of pain in your legs? Maybe it was an achey pain that you didn’t quite understand, but once you stopped to rest it was fine. Or maybe it was fine for a short period and then the ache came back, forcing you to stop again. If this has ever happened to you, it’s recommended that you have your doctor check you for Peripheral Arterial http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/leg-pain-could-be-hardening-of-arteries.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-3699881590978008872Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:41:00 +00002008-06-10T12:45:24.932-04:00I found this question in a forum recently and I thought I would address it here. If your doctor labels you permanently disabled, will you get disability? Like so many answers for so many other types of questions...it depends. First of all, what do we mean by a "doctor labeling someone permanently disabled"? Does this mean the doctor having said to a patient that he doesn't think he or she can http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/will-you-get-disability-if-your-doctor.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-7871268763674697642Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:37:00 +00002008-06-10T12:39:55.687-04:00Cirrhosis of the liver is an issue worldwide, caused by chronic alcoholism, nutritional deficiencies and viruses like hepatitis B, C or D. Symptoms include weakness, exhaustion, fatigue, nausea, weight loss and loss of appetite. In later stages the symptoms may include jaundice, fluid retention in the abdomen and infections. Treatments for cirrhosis depend upon the cause, for example, cirrhosis http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/is-help-on-way-for-cirrhosis-sufferers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-1203676768468477534Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:32:00 +00002008-06-10T12:36:11.330-04:00If you’re like most people, you’re aware of the risks and symptoms of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks and stroke. All of these conditions get a myriad of media attention on a daily basis. One condition that doesn’t receive the media attention that it deserves is congestive heart failure. As a disability examiner working on social security disability and SSI claims, I actually http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/congestive-heart-failure-its-common-but.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-492100053669704282Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:06:00 +00002008-06-09T15:06:51.424-04:00Many individuals who file for disability benefits with the Social Security Administration (SSA) mistakenly believe that if they have been diagnosed with a serious medical condition that prevents them from working and are currently under a doctor’s care for this condition, they will have little trouble being approved for social security disability (SSD) or supplemental security income (SSI). http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/filing-for-disability-benefits-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-6693702794552385607Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:03:00 +00002008-06-09T15:03:43.870-04:00Herceptin, also known as the generic Trastuzumab, is commonly used by women with breast cancer. About 25 percent of women with breast cancer marked by the aggressor HER2 take the drug along with chemotherapy. It is thought that there is no other drug that works as well to treat HER2. The drug is thought to cut the chances of recurring cancer by half and reduce cancer mortality rates by one-third.http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/cancer-drug-may-cause-heart-failure.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-4090875375133040206Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:59:00 +00002008-06-09T15:00:22.140-04:00Yes, you can. The social security disability program is not the least bit concerned with the subject of assets, also known as resources. So, you can file for disability if you own a single home or multiple homes or vacation home or rental properties (if you do, I envy you). SSD (social security disability) is also not concerned with other types of assets such as multiple vehicles or investment http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/can-you-own-home-and-qualify-for-social.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-1351650430089421803Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:31:00 +00002008-06-06T15:37:01.899-04:00Colorado Attorney Tom Stasiuk wrote about this topic in a recent post and mentioned that in most social security disability hearings and SSI disability hearings, the Judge will not issue a disability decision at the time of the hearing. This is the case in most hearings and, typically, it may be weeks or months before a disability claimant will receive a decision from an Administrative law judgehttp://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/when-you-go-to-disability-hearing-will.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553302674668121979.post-6336968507861812740Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:28:00 +00002008-06-06T15:30:00.316-04:00As many know, back pain can be debilitating, resulting in pain that travels to the legs, feet and whole body. Up until now, if you had chronic back pain due to a degenerative disk disease or herniated disks your best option was to go under the knife, resulting in long recovery times. Now there is an alternative option for those willing to try it out. It is a non-invasive treatment that uses a http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/dnewsblog/2008/06/non-surgical-relief-for-herniated-disks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Dnews)