By Jodee Dietzenbach It is normal to be concerned with how you present yourself and your evidence to Social Security. In most cases, you are providing evidence under penalty of perjury, so you want it to be as accurate and truthful as possible. Social Security requires you to submit any evidence that tends to…
DetailsBy Jodee Dietzenbach While many states have approved marijuana for medical and recreational use, the FDA still considers it a Schedule I controlled substance. This means the Federal Government has found marijuana to have no currently accepted medical use and has found it to have a high potential for abuse. Schedule I substances are considered…
DetailsWe are proud to announce that we have launched a new YouTube channel! We have already posted a series of videos on how to apply for SSDI benefits and some short videos on commonly asked questions. More content is on the way, so like and subscribe! Scan this qr code to go directly to our…
DetailsBy Jodee Dietzenbach On August 2, 2021, the VA announced new presumptive conditions related to exposure to particulate matter. The VA will now begin processing claims for asthma, rhinitis, and sinusitis on a presumptive basis for Veterans who were exposed to particulates in Southwest Asia and certain other areas. For a Veteran to qualify, the…
DetailsDue to the pandemic, the Board of Veterans Appeals has been allowing Veterans to participate in virtual hearings. Here, we explain how they work. These hearings are scheduled a few weeks in advance. The Board sends an email to the Veteran and their representative (if the Veteran has one). The email contains a couple of…
DetailsThe Board of Veterans’ Appeals has struggled with backlogs in deciding disability claims for years. Recently, the Board has had additional challenges to attacking this backlog. Regional Office (RO) closures, limited access to medical records within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and Veterans continuing to file new claims have all contributed to a…
DetailsIn the last year, Social Security has closed its field offices and hearing offices to the public in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, Social Security has continued to hold hearings for disability benefits. If you are waiting for a Social Security hearing, you currently have three options: You can wait for…
DetailsThe Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced they will be readjudicating previously denied claims for Veterans who served in offshore waters in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam war. The case, Nehmer v. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs challenged a VA regulation that stated chloracne is the only disease associated with exposure to…
DetailsRecently, the Veterans Administration issued a new set of appeal options for Veterans appealing their VA disability claims. When a Veteran gets denied at the initial level, they may request a review of the decision (an appeal). The VA now gives a Veteran several ways to do this. The first option is a Supplemental…
DetailsWhat If I Can’t Find My Loved One’s Documents? By Thad J. Murphy, Attorney at Law If a loved one has recently died or become mentally incapacitated, finding the person’s estate planning documents is essential. The estate planning process and associated documents are critical to making decisions on the loved one’s behalf, gaining access…
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