The Art of Real Life [Carol Marfisi]

I was among thousands of museum goers who attended the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It is an understatement to say that the works were compelling and heart wrenching. Having a bit of anthropological DNA in my blood, I always tend to not only appreciate the main exhibit but the experiential exhibition of the observers. It is quite intriguing to watch how people respond to
...

Los Angeles Disability Lawyer’s view on the current disability laws

In an article entitled “Disabled and Waiting”, which comprise the CBS News investigation into Social Security disability benefits, in its part release, it related, that each year, that there are millions of people become disabled from an accident or disease. It continued that many of these disabled person, turn to the federal government for Social Security payments.
...

Fibromyalgia is thought to affect around 5 percent of the population in the United States,
Read more

Social Security Disability and changes in the works

A recent article by an ABC affiliate mentions that SSA plans to expedite cases involving terminal conditions and to hire up to 4000 employees. It also, as most of these stories do, focuses on the long wait to get to hearings and to get disability benefits awarded. Unfortunately, being denied at the disability application and reconsideration appeal levels is fairly common, and having to wait an
...

A story
Read more

Social Security Disability and Gray Areas

A recent commenter mentioned that her condition is rare (Dissociative Seizure Condition ) and that it falls into a gray area. Her comments made me wonder--Do certain conditions fall into a gray area? Unfortunately, we are stuck with the "company line", which is social security's line. That would essentially be something along the order of "There is no gray area. All medical conditions are
...

After you've had your disability hearing, you
Read more

How will a Social Security Doctor determine my illness better than my own doctors?

Someone made this statement recently in a forum. "I don't see how the social security doctor will determine my illness better than the psychiatrist I've gone to for two years. Guess what? This individual is completely right. In fact, claimants are generally sent to a social security doctor (in actuality, these are private practice physicians, psychiatrists, and psychologists who are paid to
...

Many folks have been following the Kathleen Seidel subpoena story--it's being
Read more

Is the US legal and welfare systems relating to disability insurance benefits, sufficient.

The United States has several welfare programs devised to render assistance to qualified individuals. Under the Social Security Administration, there are several welfare benefits that has been wage by the federal government all for giving the needed financial assistance and benefits to those qualified members.
...

Someone wrote this in a forum recently (I'm paraphrasing) : "I have a CE exam for my SS
Read more

You can't ever get through on the phone to the Social Security Office

It's one of the most common complaints from individuals who file for social security disability or SSI: never being able to get through on the phone line to the social security office. Over the last few years, I have spoken to hundreds of claimants who said they needed to ask a question regarding their SSD claim or SSI claim, or needed to report information to the claims representative handling
...

Recycling - Separating the Plastic Bottles out from the Rest

I've recently begun to separate my plastic beverage containers (aquafina, lipton diet green tea, diet pepsi, and so forth) from the rest of the trash and I've been amazed at a couple of things. First of all, just how many drinks we go through in a week. Second, how much space these containers actually take up and how much longer it takes a kitchen garbage can to fill up when you're not throwing
...

Road Trip: DisTHIS, New York!

[Image description: Sitting casually in director's chairs in front of the screen in the Firehouse's third floor screening room, are Mat Fraser and Lawrence Carter Long. Sitting between them in her own wheelchair is Liz Carr.] Melania Moscoso and Mike Dorn traveled up to New York last Wednesday to check out the disTHIS! 2nd Anniversary Criptastic Celebration. The evening included a little bit for
...

What are some
Read more

Diabetics: Increased Risk for Cardiovascular Disease and Death?

Diabetes and various forms of heart disease appear very often on applications for disability. Heart disease is often seen in the form of coronary artery disease, valve defects, and congestive heart failure. While diabetes is often referenced in connection with diabetic neuropathy and high blood pressure. One thing that disability examiners definitely notice early on is that diabetes and
...

There's a reason why most claimants will benefit
Read more