Some Social Security Offices Closed Due to Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey has devastated much of southeastern Texas, leading to the temporary closure of many SSA (Social Security Administration) and ODAR (Office of Disability Adjudication and Review) local offices. The San Antonio South office has even been closed indefinitely. Forecasters expect strong winds, heavy rain, flooding, and power outages to continue in both Texas and Louisiana.

Acting Commissioner Nancy A. Berryhill released the following message to all SSA and DDS employees on Monday, August 28, 2017:

Subject: Our Thoughts Are With Texas

 As we experienced over the last few days the absolute devastation of Hurricane Harvey, we are pleased to report that all SSA and DDS employees in Texas and Louisiana are safe and accounted for, though many sustained property damage and have evacuated from their homes.

 Please keep those affected by the flooding in your thoughts and prayers as this storm continues.  We will provide additional information as it emerges.

 Nancy A. Berryhill

Acting Commissioner

Our thoughts are with the people of Texas at Premier Disability Services as well. Please reference the following links for more information.

– Information on office closing and emergencies: https://www.ssa.gov/agency/emergency/. If your office is closed, be aware that many services are available online or over the telephone.

– Information about payments for current beneficiaries: https://www.ssa.gov/news/#/post/8-2017-6.

– Apply for shelter assistance and other disaster aid here: https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-harvey.

As always, please feel free to contact us if you are interested in applying for Social Security Disability benefits, or if you are looking for representation on a pending claim.

By: Thomas A. Klint of Premier Disability Services, LLC^®

The Administrative Hearing

A hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) is the last administrative stage in a Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income appeal and is called the Administrative Hearing. Depending on where you live, it can take well over a year, possibly more, to be scheduled for a hearing after one is requested. The hearings are meant to be informal, fact-finding procedures.

The people present at the hearing are the claimant and their representative (if they have one), and the judge and hearing assistant, who is there simply to record the hearing. Sometimes medical and vocational experts are also in attendance. The job of these experts is to give an opinion on the case based on the record and testimony.

There is no “prosecutor” at the hearing, and no lawyer for Social Security to cross-examine the claimant. The hearings usually take about an hour. The judges will sometimes ask questions first and then allow the representative to direct questions to the claimant. Some judges let the attorney ask questions first. In either event, the main information focused on is age, educational background (including vocational training), work history, and medical conditions.

The decision will rarely be given at the hearing itself. The written decision, if favorable, is the trigger for the beginning of the payment process. Unfortunately, it can still be several more months until money is in the hands of a successful claimant.

If you have an upcoming hearing in front of an ALJ, are waiting for a hearing to be scheduled, or are still in earlier steps of the application process, please call us for a free case evaluation!

By: Joyce Trudeau of Premier Disability Services, LLC^®

Social Security Turns 82!

The Social Security Administration (SSA) delivers services through a nationwide network of over 1,400 offices that include regional offices, field offices, card centers, teleservice centers, processing centers, hearing offices, the Appeals Council, and their State and territorial partners, the Disability Determination Services. They also have a presence in U.S. embassies around the globe.

The Social Security Act was first signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 14, 1935 where he stated that “The success or failure of any government must be measured by the well-being of its citizens.” The Act established one of our nation’s greatest social and economic achievements: a law that at its very core was meant to allow people to meet their basic needs at the most vulnerable times in their lives.

The SSA began as an independent agency, then in 1939 it was made part of sub-cabinet agency, and then on March 31, 1995 was returned to an independent agency status during a ceremony at their headquarters in Baltimore. At this ceremony, President Clinton commented on the importance of the Social Security program, stating that “for millions of Americans, [the Social Security Act] transformed old age from a time of fear and want to a period of rest and reward. It empowered many American families as well, freeing them to put their children through college to enrich their own lives, knowing that their parents would not grow old in poverty.”

Social Security provides benefits for: Old age (retirement), Survivors, and Disability.

You can read more here: http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/ssact-toc.htm

By: Joyce Trudeau of Premier Disability Services, LLC^®