Diana Chaikin is a legal editor specializing in disability law at Nolo. She started writing articles as a freelancer in 2021 and joined the staff in 2022. Diana has worked as a solo practitioner based out of Seattle representing claimants before administrative law judges in Social Security disability hearings.
Education. Diana received a B.A. in Political Science from New York University and a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law, where she served as article editor on the Seattle Journal for Social Justice. During law school, Diana interned at the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska and Corbis Corporation. She also wrote an article on the Visual Artists Rights Act and how it pertains to outsider artists.
Disability experience. Fresh out of law school, Diana worked as Attorney Advisor for the Social Security Administration Office of Hearings Operations (formerly Office of Disability Adjudication and Review). While there, she worked for several administrative appeals judges to ensure disability decisions met the administration’s standard for quality. She then decided to work on the other side of the bench, successfully representing disability claimants for over 10 years before coming to Nolo.
Goals and interests. Diana finds satisfaction in making complex areas of the law seem intuitive to nonlawyers. She is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR), and is on the board of the Washington Lawyers for the Arts.
Articles by Diana Chaikin
If your medical conditions prevent you from working, you may be considering applying for disability benefits, but deciding when to apply can make a big difference for your claim.
Surviving military spouses can sometimes receive veterans disability compensation from the VA, a monthly benefit called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC).
Veterans who have service-connected disabilities that keep them from holding down a steady full-time job can still qualify for VA disability compensation at the 100% rate, even if their combined rating is lower. This is known as "total disability individual unemployability", or TDIU. TDIU is an option
If you were exposed to an incident during service that causes symptoms of fear, distress, and avoidance, you may qualify for VA disability benefits.
Disability retirement benefits are available to people who work in the federal government as part of their employment benefit package.
When you apply for disability, a claims representative from Social Security will conduct an extensive interview with you in person or by phone.
Find out how Social Security evaluates symptoms of osteoarthritis under Listing 1.18, when assessing your RFC, and in applying the age-based grid rules.
If you have complications from Raynaud's that significantly limit your ability to function, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits.
How to prove to Social Security that you can't do other work because you don't have the transferable job skills.
Whether you'll be approved for Social Security disability benefits for lung cancer depends on the type of cancer and its progression.
