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Social Security Disability Benefits Information

Important Items About Social Security DisabilityOur goal is to allow persons with limitations to improve their quality of life by obtaining financial support through the receipt of Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits and/or Supplemental Security Income Benefits. We will always return your phone calls, answer any questions you may have, and advise you regarding your case. You should be aware, up front, that it can take years to get through the process, but we want you to know that we are on your side and we are doing everything in our power to make sure Social Security makes the most accurate decision they can at each appeal level. We ultimately win most of the time.

  • HOW LONG DO DECISIONS TAKE? Initial and Reconsideration decisions generally take 6 months each and decisions are issued in writing. Hearings are scheduled 12 – 16 months after the request date. This timeline can fluctuate depending on the caseload of the hearing office. Much of this process is waiting for the Social Security Administration to take action.
  • UPDATES: Please feel free to call us for periodic updates regarding your case. We will always return your phone calls (please give us 48 hours) and answer any questions you may have, and we will contact you immediately if we hear from Social Security. We do not need to know of every doctor visit, but we do need to know if you see a new doctor or go to the hospital.
  • PLEASE RETURN DOCUMENTS: It is imperative that you timely reply to all requests for information from Social Security and from our office. The failure to do so compromises your Social Security claim and makes effective representation more difficult. Please remember to return any documents we gave you to complete. We need them back within 10 business days. If Social Security sends you documents, please complete them to the best of your ability, then send them to us so we may first review them.
  • MEDICAL CARE: IT IS MANDATORY THAT YOU RECEIVE CURRENT MEDICAL TREATMENT AND YOU SEE A DOCTOR AT LEAST EVERY THREE MONTHS. If you are not receiving current medical treatment from a primary care provider, this makes it very difficult to effectively represent you and win your case, and we may not be able to continue to assist you. In any legal case, evidence is necessary to prove the case. In a Social Security disability claim, that evidence is medical records. The lack of current ongoing medical records makes proving your disability extremely difficult, if not impossible. Please call us IMMEDIATELY if you experience any issues with obtaining current treatment and we can refer you to the proper resources.
  • HOW DO I GET MEDICAL CARE? If you do not have medical insurance, please make an application for Medicaid through the Nevada State Department of Welfare.
  • REQUESTS FOR LOANS: The Firm is not a lender and we are prohibited by ethical rules from making personal loans under any circumstances. We sympathize with any financial difficulties you may be experiencing, If you need assistance in certain areas, please request a list of community resources from the Firm. The State of Nevada also has a resource hotline which you may access by dialing 211.
  • UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: If you are receiving unemployment benefits, it is our strong advice that you stop receiving these benefits. When you apply for unemployment benefits, the application asks if you are able to work. You must answer “yes” to receive these benefits. When you are making a Social Security application, you are representing to a Federal agency that you are not able to work. It is irrelevant what anyone has told you – your friends, social services case workers, etc. – this is a conflict, and the Social Security Judges are taking this conflict seriously. You may lose retroactive Social Security benefits or be denied altogether if you continue to receive unemployment benefits.
  • WHEN SHOULD YOU CALL US: If you need an update on your case, please call our office and we will be happy to let you know the status of your case. If we receive any information from Social Security regarding your claim, we will contact you immediately. However, most of the time, we are waiting for Social Security to make a decision. It is also very important that you call us if any of the following happens:
    1. You see a new medical provider or go to the hospital;
    2. There is a substantial change in your health (your condition worsens or you have a new diagnosis);
    3. You change your address or phone number;
    4. You receive documents or a phone call from Social Security;
    5. If you return to work or are thinking about returning to work or school;
    6. You start receiving any other types of benefits (VA, long term disability, workers compensation, etc.)
    7. You get married or divorced; or
    8. You receive an approval or denial letter.