Social Security Disability Benefits Blog » What’s New at the Social Security Administration (SSA)

Social Security Disability Hearing Delays in Tampa | St. Pete Beach Social Security Disability Lawyer

Nancy Cavey — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:20:46 +0000

The Tampa Social Security Disability Backlog Is Among The Worst

The Tampa Social Security disability office has one of the worst backlogs in the country with over 5103 cases pending for over 900 days!

Representative Kathy Castor introduced a bill into Congress on July 14 to address the nation wide backlog of Social Security disability claims. The bill would require that a hearing be held within 60 and 75 days from the date of the request and then a final verdict be given no more than 15 days after hearing.

Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue announced new steps to reduce that backlog. As of October 1, 2008, all new hearing requests from outside the Tampa – St. Petersburg area will be sent to the Fort Lauderdale office. A new Social Security disability Judge for the Tampa office should be selected in the near future and that will help with the backlog.

Congratulations to Representative Kathy Castor for her efforts to help reduce the Social Security hearing delays in Tampa. For assistance with your Social Security disability claim, please contact Tampa Bay Social Security disability lawyer Sharon Barrett at caveylaw.com.

Fraud and Social Security Disabililty Benefits | New Port Richey Social Security Disability Attorney

Nancy Cavey — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:59:36 +0000

You can go to jail for Social Security Disability fraud. Here is just an example of what can happen:

Man admits lying to Social Security

By Robert Patrick

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

08/15/2008

A Mascoutah man pleaded guilty today to a federal felony charge and admitted to a series of lies that cost Social Security over $120,000, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. John R. Laird applied for and received disability benefits in 1989, court documents show. During the time that Laird was telling the Social Security Administration that he was unable to lift or use his arms and had trouble getting around, he got a full-time job as a mechanic, pleaded guilty to methamphetamine-related charges in St. Clair County in 2001, violated his probation and was sent to prison, court documents show. He was supposed to notify officials about all those milestones, prosecutors said.

Laird pleaded guilty to concealment of material information from the Social Security Administration today and agreed to pay restitution. The U.S. attorney’s office said Laird would owe more than $120,000.

John Laird costs everyone in the Social Security Disability system!! St. Petersburg Social Security Disability attorneys at Cavey and Barrett don’t tolerate clients who we think are trying to game the Social Security system.

If you would like more information about your rights regarding Social Security Disability Benefits, you can order our FREE book,"Your Rights to Social Security Disability Benefits" by submitting the form in the sidebar. We will send it out immediately along with other important information.

For more information about Social Security Disability Benefits, visit our law firm web site at CaveyLaw.com. If you would like to speak with one of our Social Security Disability Benefits attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (727) 897-9117 or simply submit our contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

Compassionate Allowances for Cancer Cases | Tampa Social Security Disability Attorney

Nancy Cavey — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:56:22 +0000

Social Security disability cancer cases are difficult and heartbreaking to handle.

Cancer patients tend to be uninsured which creates gaps in medical care and lack of continuity of care. Delay in obtaining necessary tests and treatment makes it difficult to establish the 12 months duration requirement information that is needed to establish disability.

Some states have Set up Quick Disability Determination Processes that allow the state agency to call doctors to get specific evidence that is needed. That does not happens in cases going through the normal process.

The state disability determination offices are asking doctors for information that explains functional limitations that result from cancer, whether the patient meets an appropriate cancer listing, what the effects of therapy have been and comment on the patient’s ability to do different work related functions.

Unfortunately, I have had to get members of Congress involved to expedite decisions in cancer cases. I am glad to see that the Social Security administration understands the need for compassion allowances in cancer cases.

If you are having difficulty getting a decision from the Social Security Administration in your Social Security disability cancer case, I recommend that you seek counsel immediately. Experienced Social Security disability attorneys, like Nancy Cavey in St. Petersburg Florida, can help you with a compassionate allowance for your cancer case.

Congressional Hearings About the Disability Backlog | Tampa Social Security Disability Attorney

Nancy Cavey — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:13:22 +0000

Yet another Congressional Hearing was held on April 23, 2000 the by the full House Wats and Means committee chaired by Representative Charles Rangel.

The committee took up the disability backlog and the resources the Social Security Administration needs to make timely decisions on Social Security disability applications. Many stories were told to the committee about the hardship for Social Security disability applicants face while waiting for a decision and payment of benefits.

By the end of this year, Social Security hopes to bring on board 175 additional judges. 135 judges have started as of today.

I suspect that these administrative law judges will be assigned to Atlanta, Cleveland, and Detroit which are the hearing offices furthest behind.

It is hoped that a system that allows attorneys to access your file to check on a status and evidentiary development will be set up. Social Security is even considering a pilot program in June of 2000 to allow some attorneys to conduct video hearings from their offices.

It was pointed out that increasing number of claimants are dying before their hearings because of deterioration in their physical condition since they can’t obtain any medical treatment.This testimony struck home with the members of the committee. We’ll see what comes of the budgetary requests of the Social Security Administration.

Contact Tampa Bay Social Security attorneys, Nancy Cavey and Sharon Barrett, about the Social Security Disability backlog.

The 2009 Social Security Budget and Case Processing Times | Lakeland Social Security Disability Lawyer

Nancy Cavey — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:10:54 +0000

The Social Security Administration has submitted its proposed 2009 budget to Congress. If the request is fully funded it is anticipated that:

The processing time for Social Security disability claims in 2008 has been 535 days. With the appropriations recommended, the processing time would decrease to 506 days in 2009.

The processing time for Social Security disability claims in 2008 has been 535 days. With the appropriations recommended, the processing time would decrease to 506 days in 2009.
The number of pending cases before administrative law judge in 2008 is 752,000. With the recommended appropriations, the cases at hearing level would drop to 683,000 in 2009.

It is hoped the Congress will appropriate sufficient funds to help reduce the significant delay in processing claims and having a hearing in front of an administrative law judge.

Contact Cavey and Barrett for Social Security Disability Claims assistance.