Parkinson’s Disease and Its Celebrity Victims

Commonly, the symptoms of Parkinson’s are manifested by people in their 60s or 70s. But then, more than one in twenty people with the ailment started experiencing Parkinson’s before they reached the age of 40. In fact, a lot of personalities have been known for having the neurological disorder at a younger age. Here are some of them:

·        Freddie Roach. His boxing career was cut short at age 26 after he showed early signs of Parkinson’s. However, he gained recognition as a topnotch boxing trainer of the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan. Despite his disorder, he still manages to do training routines with his trainees by controlling the slow progress of the disease through medication and injections.

Freddie Roach (Image Source: poptower.com)

·        Michael J. Fox. He is widely known for his character Marty McFly in “Back to the Future.” After the success of the movie, he displayed symptoms of Parkinson’s in 1990. Eight years later, he opened up to the public about his condition. Since then, he has become an advocate of medical research for possible cures of Parkinson’s disease.

Michal J. Fox (Image Source: zimbio.com)

·     Muhammad Ali. One of the greatest athletes of the 20^th century. The man who was dubbed “The Greatest” and was formerly known as Cassius Clay, he was known for his ever-controversial boxing career. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1984 shortly after retirement due to the effects of being a boxer.

Muhammad Ali (Image Source: richardcorman.com)

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological condition that affects the brain caused by the deterioration and destruction of important cells that secrete dopamine. Dopamine is a simple organic chemical of the body that plays an important role in the body system, particularly that of the brain. Symptoms of Parkinson’s include the following:

·         Impairment of balance

·         Muscle rigidity

·         Shaking of the feet and/or hands

·         Slow movement

(Image Source: shop.choosetoawaken.com)

A person with Parkinson’s disease can be entitled to Social Security disability benefits. The medical condition is classified under “neurological conditions” by the Social Security Administration (SSA). To pursue a claim for disability benefits, he or she must retain the services of any Los Angeles Social Security disability lawyers.

The Promise of Long-term Disability Insurance

Everybody works hard for the money and saves it for the so-called rainy days. More than making both ends meet, people also save money that they can use in times of sickness and other problems. In the workplace, especially for high-risk jobs, employees can get hurt, injured, or disabled for a period of time.

Usually, benefits are extended to workers who can’t report for work because of their disability. However, there are times when the injuries that they have incurred are really serious that they experience long-term disability. This is a very difficult time for the injured worker given that he or she got it while at work.

The good thing is that insurance companies offer long-term disability insurance. As mandated by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), companies are asked to give their employees the choice of having a long-term disability insurance coverage. This is such a great help for workers in cases where they get disabled for a long period of time and are unable to work.

Life is what you make it.

The difference between short-term and long-term disability coverage is just as what the package’s name implies. Short-term disability coverage gives the insured a percentage of its pay rate for up to two years in cases when the individual suffers from temporary disability.

On the other hand, the long-term disability coverage kicks in following the expiration of the short-term disability coverage. For the long-term disability coverage, the insurance company gives a reduced rate of the insured’s pay rate for an extended period. This is perfect for people with high-risk jobs since they are assured of assistance to tide them over while they are incapacitated. By availing of the insurance and completing a service wait, an individual becomes eligible for the benefits of a long-term disability insurance coverage.

While claims for long-term disability are generally problem-free, there might be instances where you could have problems with your claims. You should never worry, though, for all that you have to do is hire the services of a Los Angeles long term disability lawyer to represent you. A lawyer specializing in long-term disability can help you make successful claims for your insurance policy coverage minus the stress.

Just prepare all necessary requirements for your claim and soon enough, you will start accepting long-term disability benefits to take your worries away.

Disability Hearing: The Second Level of the Appeals Process

The second level of the appeals process is the disability hearing. This happens after the Social Security Administration rejects your claim at the first stage of the appeal (reconsideration stage). Once you received the federal agency’s letter containing the decision to deny your appeal at the reconsideration stage, you have 60 days to ask for a disability hearing.

Image credits: CorbisImages

Once you sent your appeal, the SSA will send your case to the Administrative Law Judge’s office. Oftentimes this is called the ALJ.  The Administrative Law Judge is the one responsible for overseeing the proceedings of the disability hearing and decides whether you can be granted benefits or not.

It is worth noting, however, that because of backlogs at the office, the sending of the schedule may come with some delay. However, you must be aware that the sending of the notice containing the date, time and place of the hearing means that the hearing itself is just 20 days away.

The ALJ hearing is usually held within 75 miles from your home. At this point, you may have to retain the services of a Los Angeles disability attorney to help you in your appeal. Your chosen legal representative would greatly increase your chances of reversing the SSA’s previous decision. In the hearing proper, your representative may provide medical evidence acquired from your treating doctor to show that you are eligible for disability benefits.

The ALJ only has three possible answers coming out of the hearing. First, the ALJ may reverse the SSA’s decision, or maintain that the federal agency’s decision is correct. These two answers may result after the ALJ reviews the witnesses’ testimonies and the submitted evidence. However, the ALJ may also dismiss the case if there is no sufficient evidence to back up your appeal or there is no need to change in the SSA’s decision.

Source: http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/odar_pubs/70-10281.pdf

The Right Time to Hire a Social Security Disability Lawyer

A lot of Social Security applicants have been wondering at which point in the initial application and the appeals process they should be considering the services of a Social Security disability lawyer. A lot of them also think if they are allowed to hire a legal representative to oversee their disability claims in all the stages of the application process, whether be it on the initial stages or in the appeals process.

The fact regarding this matter is that the Social Security Administration (SSA) allows applicants to seek the legal services of a disability lawyer. This option is widely recognized by many as a beneficial move that increases the chances of many disability applicants of being awarded Social Security Disability benefits.

FINDING THE RIGHT DISABILITY LAWYER TO HELP WITH YOUR CLAIM

To begin with, the processing of the claim can be very confusing. Forms that need to be filled out and medical evidence that need to be retrieved and sent to Social Security are the primary instructions when undergoing the stages of initial application. If the claim is denied – which happens most of the time – then the appeals process sets in, which may eat up months or even years of one’s life just to complete it.

The probability of undergoing such stressful work in dealing with Social Security can be lessened with the help of a qualified Social Security disability lawyer. All claim forms are filled out completely and all medical information are submitted to the SSA without any hassles with the help of the legal representative.

The outcome of the claim may change drastically with a disability lawyer, but it is not every time that these legal attorneys are able to represent a client in the initial stage of the disability application. Accordingly, you can look for any Los Angeles Social Security Disability Lawyers who is willing to help you with your claim in both the initial disability application and the appeals process.

What You Need to Know Before Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits Online

People live in the age of the Internet, where they can do almost everything using an online connection. From communication to shopping, online services and social media have become a normal thing for most people, young and old alike.

To go with the times, government offices and entities have made themselves available to the people through online means. One of them is Social Security Administration (SSA). Accordingly, people who wish to apply for disability benefits can do so using the online tool of this federal entity. The old-fashioned way of applying for benefits is still there, but it is said that the online option is a faster, more reliable way of getting an approval.

Visit Ssa.gov for further information regarding the online application

If you are planning to apply for disability benefits online, you may have to first consult with the online tool on the website of the SSA called the Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool. This will help you determine if you can actually qualify for benefits under the Social Security disability program or not. All the needed information and your expectations regarding the disability program will be provided by the said tool.

Moreover, it is important for you to know that the online application isn’t entirely the whole process in itself. In fact, you still need to write down pertinent information on certain SSA forms and to collect valuable information such as medical evidence to support your claim. Also, it is required that you submit in person, or through an authorized representative, your claim to your local SSA field office.

Furthermore, the online application is not for everyone. While the online option is a quick and convenient way of having a chance for disability benefits, your case may not qualify for such. For example, if you are applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you cannot use the online application option.

To begin with, there is no online option for SSI; such option is available only for those applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

Applying for disability benefits online is a choice. However, it is best that you consult with any Los Angeles Social Security claim lawyers to help increase your chances of getting your claim approved.

Source: http://www.socialsecurity-disability.org/blog/applying-social-security-disability-online