#SSA

3 min

Time Management While Traveling

Many SSD representatives travel for hearings, conferences, and networking. Technology has allowed me to use my time wisely while traveling, so that I have more time for friends and family. Here are some tips that help me balance work and life on-the-road. Traveling to the Airport or Train Station: Download all the documents you need to review. Downloading documents allows time to work while in route to the airport and/or train station without access to WIFI. I use this time t

2 min

How to Use the New SSR 19-4p to Win Headache Cases

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently published a new Social Security Ruling (SSR), known as SSR 19-4p, involving headaches, which will take effect on August 26, 2019. This SSR involves primary headaches, such as migraines, rather than secondary headaches stemming from stroke, hypertension, neck injury, etc. It also provides guidelines on how to fully prepare a case involving a primary headache through the 5-Step Sequential Evaluation. Include Clear Documentation

2 min

How to Make Your Business More Profitable and Work More Interesting

Efficient and client-focused businesses are formed through creativity, ingenuity, and ambition. When it comes to serving the industry you work in, ambition pushes you to reevaluate how to improve your service; creativity and ingenuity guide the path to better using your skills to do so. Yet, lack of time is often a barrier to examining how we can use our time to learn, grow, and scale our business. Let’s examine how to win back time in order to make business more profitable a

2 min

Gain an Advantage at the Reconsideration Level: Helpful Strategies for SSD Representatives

Many Social Security Disability representatives in protype states are experiencing an additional level of the appeals process: the reconsideration level. As the Social Security Administration (SSA) promised, it is eliminating protype states; by 2020, all states will have the reconsideration level of the appeals process. As a Social Security Disability representative, it is important to utilize information at the reconsideration level to your advantage. Here are two strategies

2 min

Supporting Pain, Fatigue, and Depression in Social Security Disability Claims

Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) and Social Security Administration (SSA) adjudicators appreciate objective medical evidence because it makes adjudicating Social Security Disability (SSD) cases easier. Finding someone disabled or not disabled has significant consequences; many Social Security claimants are living with family, on the brink of eviction, or homeless. Therefore, evidence that helps adjudicators make the right decision as soon as possible is appreciated. However,

2 min

How to Use a Client’s Body Mass Index to Win Social Security Disability

In certain situations, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) policies allow adjudicators to use a claimant’s body mass index (BMI) to determine disability. BMI is determined based on an individual’s height and weight. A claimant whose BMI is 17.5 or lower may meet a Listing. If their BMI is 30 or over, it is considered obese; some Listings and Social Security Ruling (SSR) 02-1p require the adjudicator to consider obesity in conjunction with impairments. Where to Find a C

2 min

How to Use Evidence from SSA’s Nonacceptable Medical Sources with New SSA Rules

Based on new rules that became effective in March 2017, it’s possible to win cases by using evidence from Social Security Administration’s (

3 min

Gaining the Advantage: Understand the Adjudicator Mindset and Use the Disability Determination Exami

Using the Disability Determination Examination can be highly effective. Often, the Disability Determination Services minimizes or entirely d

4 min

Examining the Reconsideration Level, Part 3: Quantity at the Reconsideration Level—Temporary Hiring

This is Part 3 of the series Examining the Reconsideration Level. Read Part 1: Trust at the Reconsideration Level—Challenges and Solutions and Part 2: Quality at the Reconsideration Level—Challenges and Solutions. Earlier, in Part 1: Trust at the Reconsideration Level, we discussed why creating and sustaining trust is essential to improving the Social Security Disability (SSD) adjudication process and reducing appeals. In Part 2: Quality at the Reconsideration Level, we revi

3 min

The Transition From Working as a Social Security Disability Adjudicator to a Social Security Represe

My previous experience as a disability adjudicator involved adjudicating disability cases and writing ALJ decisions—which gave me an advanta

2 min

Examining the Reconsideration Level, Part 2: Quality at the Reconsideration Level—Challenges and Sol

This is Part 2 of the series Examining the Reconsideration Level. Read Part 1: Trust at the Reconsideration Level—Challenges and Solutions and Part 3: Quantity at the Reconsideration Level—Temporary hiring Based on Production Needs. Balancing quality and quantity in a production-paced work environment is a challenge. As a Social Security Disability adjudicator, this is a lot of pressure—I know this from personal experience. There is only a short amount of time to decide wheth

4 min

Examining the Reconsideration Level, Part 1: Trust at the Reconsideration Level—Challenges and Solut

This is Part 1 of the series Examining the Reconsideration Level. Read Part 2: Quality at the Reconsideration Level—Challenges and Solutions and Part 3: Quantity at the Reconsideration Level—Temporary hiring Based on Production Needs. The Social Security Administration (SSA) deserves credit for relentlessly trying to improve the adjudication process. Over the years, the reconsideration level of the adjudicative process has been reevaluated on numerous occasions. As a Social S

3 min

Improving the Reconsideration Appeals Process

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is reinstating the reconsideration level appeals process for the 10 prototype states by the end of

2 min

Gratitude, Careers, and You

During this season of gratitude, let’s be thankful for our professional lives and career. Work is the place we spend most of our time (especially when we are passionate about finding advocacy solutions!). I am absolutely thankful for my professional life, career, and all the wonderful mentors, supervisors, and colleagues who have supported me along the way—and I’m thankful for you! My success is not my own; my career path as a solo practitioner, Social Security Administration

3 min

Understanding How to Use the Framework of the Medical-Vocational Grid Rules to Win More Cases

It’s important to know a Social Security Disability adjudicator can find the disability claimant is disabled, even if the Medical-Vocational Grid Rules (“Rules”) direct a finding of no disability. This is known as using a “framework” of the Rule—and it’s just as important to understand how it can be applied to the adjudicative process. In my experience an SSA adjudicator, it is rare to have a fact pattern when a disability claimant has only exertional limitations. Thus, SSA a

3 min

Sustaining Quality and Productivity in the Social Security Disability Industry

There are a number of strategies for sustaining quality work, including adding value, being active in the SSD community, providing Social Se

TERRI M. DAVID CONSULTING

CONTACT ME

Terri M. David