The Social Security Administration has a process for evaluating applicants for disability benefits who lack current medical records or any medical records at all. The agency hires physicians to conduct consultative exams on applicants who do not have sufficient...
Clear & Honest Answers
To Questions About Your Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Benefits
Year: 2018
Applying for Social Security disability
Many people in West Virginia need to file for Social Security disability benefits when they are no longer able to work. The process can take months or even more than a year before a final determination is reached. Some people become discouraged during the process...
Important issues that matter most to veterans and their families
Veterans and military families in West Virginia have many important and serious issues they may be faced with on a regular basis. Homelessness, trauma, risk of suicide and problems with behavior-related health matters that sometimes involve the criminal justice system...
How will a spinal cord injury affect your ability to work?
A spinal cord injury is a significant and traumatic event that can have detrimental consequences for the victim. If you suffered this type of injury, you understand that the implications can affect your entire life, for the rest of your life. Depending on the nature...
Obtaining student loan relief after an injury
If a federal student loan is cancelled, forgiven or discharged, it means that there is no further requirement to make payments. It is important for West Virginia residents and others to know that not finishing school is generally not a valid reason for not paying a...
How medical records influence disability cases
West Virginia residents should be as specific as possible when telling their doctors about their physical or mental impairments. This is because an examiner is looking for specific evidence of how an impairment limits an individual's ability to work when reviewing a...
SSD claims and late appeals
For Social Security Disability claim appeals, claimants have 60 days from the date their denial was issued, in addition to five extra days for mailing time, to submit the appeal. Because of the generous amount of time allowed, the Social Security Administration...
Benefits may be available for those with carpal tunnel syndrome
West Virginia residents who have carpal tunnel syndrome may be able to obtain Social Security disability benefits. This condition, which can be present since birth or acquired at some point in a person's life, is considered a musculoskeletal impairment. While it is...
What to know about application acceptance rates
Individuals in West Virginia who have a physical or mental disability that prevents them from working or making a gainful living may file for disability benefits. However, the likelihood of an initial application being accepted is relatively low. Typically, about 35...
Seeking disability benefits for COPD
You may have suspected there was a problem when you began having trouble completing simple tasks, such as shopping for groceries, mowing the grass or walking the dog. Perhaps you became short of breath, developed a cough that wouldn't go away or felt tired all the...