Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability: Getting & Keeping Your Benefits - With CD-ROM

By David A Morton III, M.D., Nolo Press

Description:

"Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability is an essential book for anyone dealing with a long-term or permanent disability. Written both for first-time applicants & those who already receive Social Security Disability, it demystifies the program in plain English.

"This book thoroughly explains:

• What Social Security disability is
• What benefits are available to disabled    children
• How to prove a disability
• How age, education & work experience affect   benefits
• Whether or not one can work while receiving   benefits
• How to appeal a denial of benefits
• How to respond to Continuing Disability Review
• And much more

Table of Contents

I. How to Use This Book

• Introduction
• Medical and Legal Questions
• How to Use This Book and CD-ROM

1. What Is Social Security Disability?

• Two Different Programs
• Defining Disabled
• Contacting the Social Security Administration
• Frequently Asked Questions About Social Security Disability

2. Applying for Disability Benefits

• Preparing to Apply
• Applying for Disability Benefits
• Healthcare Professionals
• How Other Disability Payments May Affect Social Security Benefits
• Availability and Disclosure of Confidential Records
• Fraud and Other Crimes

3. Disability Benefits for Children

• Three Benefit Programs for Children
• Applying for SSDI or SSI Benefits
• Continuing Disability Reviews for SSI Children
• Other Healthcare Concerns

4. Getting Benefits During the Application Process

• Applying for Presumptive Disability
• Impairments Qualifying for Presumptive Disability by Field Office
• Qualifying for Presumptive Disability Through the DDS

5. Proving You Are Disabled

• Acceptable Medical Sources
• Medical Evidence From Treating Sources
• The Role of Consultative Examinations in Disability Determination
• Evidence of Symptoms
• Other Evidence

6. Who Decides Your Claim?

• DDS Basics
• DDS Claims Examiners
• Other DDS Administrative Personnel
• Medical Consultants
• If Your Claim Is Granted
• If Your Claim Is Denied
• DDS Corruption and Incompetence
• Disability Redesign: Coming Danger to Claimants

7. How Claims Are Decided

• Step 1. Are You Engaged in Substantial Gainful Activity?
• Step 2. How Severe Are Your Impairments?
• Step 3. Do You Meet the Listing of Impairments?
• Step 4. Can You Do Your Prior Job?
• Step 5. Can You Do Any Other Job?

8. If You Can Do Some Work

• Physical Impairments and Abilities
• Mental Impairments and Abilities
• Claims With Both Physical and Mental RFCs

9. How Age, Education, and Work Experience Matter

• Age
• Education
• Work Experience
• Use of Vocational Analysts
• Vocational Rehabilitation

10. When Benefits Begin

• Medical Evidence
• Work Experience
• SSDI or SSI Claimant

11. Reasons You May Be Denied Benefits

• You Earn Too Much Income or Have Too Many Assets
• Your Disability Won't Last Long Enough
• The SSA Cannot Find You
• You Refuse to Cooperate
• You Fail to Follow Prescribed Therapy
• Your Disability Is Based on Drug Addiction or Alcoholism
• You Have Been Convicted of a Crime
• You Commit Fraud

12. Appealing If Your Claim Is Denied

• Deciding Whether to Appeal
• Appeal Basics
• Your Right to Representation
• Four Levels of Appeal
• Reopening of Decisions
• Refiling an Initial Claim

13. Once You Are Approved

• Disability Benefit Payments
• Reporting Changes -- SSDI Recipients
• Reporting Changes -- SSI Recipients
• Returning to Work
• Passage of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act
• Participation in the Ticket to Work Program
• The Ticket to Hire Program

14. Continuing Disability Review

• Frequency of Reviews
• How the SSA Contacts You
• Medical Improvement Review Standard
• Children and CDRs
• Appealing a CDR Decision

15. Your Right to Representation

• When Do You Need an Authorized Representative?
• What Can an Authorized Representative Do?
• Who Can Be an Authorized Representative?
• Should Your Authorized Representative Be an Attorney?
• When and How Your Representative Is Paid
• Notifying the SSA of Your Choice for Representative
• Keeping Up on the Law Yourself

Chapters on CD

How to Use the CD-ROM

• Installing the Medical Disabilities Chapters Onto Your Computer
• Using the PDF Files
• List of Files Included on the CD-ROM

16. Musculoskeletal Disorders and Growth Impairments

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

17. Vision, Balance, Hearing, and Speech

Part I. Vision

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

Part II. Balance and Hearing Disorders

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

Part III. Loss of Speech

• Definitions
• General Information and Listing

18. Breathing Disorders

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

19. Heart and Blood Vessel Diseases

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

20. Digestive System Diseases

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

21. Kidney Diseases

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

22. Blood Diseases

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

23. Skin Diseases

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

24. Hormone Disorders

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

25. Multiple Body System Disorders

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

26. Nervous System Disorders

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

27. Mental Disorders

• Definitions
• General Information -- Adult Mental Disorders
• General Information -- Child Mental Disorders
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

28. Cancer

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

29. Immune System Disorders

• Definitions
• General Information
• Specific Listings and Residual Functional Capacity

Appendixes

• Glossary of Bureaucratic Terms
• Examples of Technical Rationales for Denials
• Medical-Vocational Rules
• Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach Programs
• Protection and Advocacy Organizations

Index