Calling the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) office is unlikely to help you understand whether or not you qualify for Social Security Disability. This is because when you call the SSA office you will be speaking with a service representative, who is not qualified to make a determination regarding a person’s disability. That is a decision […]

The Social Security Administration requires that you have earned enough “work credits” in the past  in order to be eligible to apply  for Social Security Disability benefits. What are work credits? When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn up to a maximum of four “credits” for each such year. The amount of earnings it […]

Did you know? Applying for and receiving Social Security Disability Benefits, ( when one is UNDER retirement age and unable to work for at least 12 months,) bestows perks from the Government that many people don’t know about. These include (if you win): *Wage Freeze: If there is a period of time you are not […]

Section 10 of the Workers’ Compensation law in New York State says, among other things,  that there shall be no liability for compensation “when the injury has been solely occasioned by intoxication from alcohol or a controlled substance………” It has long been the law that if someone gets injured on the job SOLELY because they […]

What is Social Security Disability and who may qualify? Social Security Disability (“SSD“) is a federal insurance program designed to provide income to people who are physically restricted in their ability to be employed i.e. they are totally disabled and unable to work. Others who may receive benefits are: Blind workers; children of blind or […]

Last week I received a call out of the blue from Hofstra Law School. They needed a Disability attorney to come in on Sunday morning and advise veterans about Disability issues. This would be a “pro bono” (free) clinic. Could I help out? It took me a couple of milliseconds to think about it. Of […]

Right now you’re at a Social Security Disability Hearing. You are claiming that you’ve been disabled and unable to work since a certain date, (let’s use as an example, January 1, 2011.) The Judge hearing your case has two choices—he/she can either grant your application (you win) or dismiss it (you lose.) Right? Well, no. […]

Every so often I get this call from an attorney I know: “Hi Dan, my client has a small business in New York. One of his workers got into an accident at work. Now the employee has filed a claim against him. Even worse, the NYS Workers’ Comp Board has hit the company—and my client— […]