Free Social Security Disabilty Seminar

Cannon & Anderson will hold a free public seminar on Social Security Disability and SSI benefits on:

Thursday, December 10, 2009 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The seminar will be held at the Fountain City Library

5300 Stanton Rd

Knoxville, TN 37918-3345

Click here for a map to the Fountain City Library.

Get Direction

We will cover eligibility, application, medical information, and what to do if you are denied Social Security Disability or SSI benefits. A question and answer session will follow. The seminar is free.

Seating is limited. Please RSVP to Cannon & Anderson at (865) 522-9000.

Cannon & Anderson, Attorneys
Straight Answers about Social Security Disability
2916 Tazewell Pike, Ste. F
Knoxville, TN 37918
(865) 522-9000

Disability Waiting Time Likely to get Longer

Read this interesting article from USA Today. Disability claims increased last year by 17% overall.

Cannon & Anderson, Attorneys
Straight Answers about Social Security Disability
2916 Tazewell Pike, Ste. F
Knoxville, TN 37918
(865) 522-9000

How much do I get if I am disabled?

The amount you receive depends on how much you have paid in through Social Security taxes. Generally, the more a person pays in taxes, the higher their disability insurance benefit.

For the exact figure, you can request a Benefit Estimate Statement from the Social Security Administration by clicking this link.

For Disability Benefits, the benefits begin five full months after you become disabled. However, benefits cannot be paid more than one year prior to the date of the claim.

Cannon & Anderson, Attorneys
Straight Answers about Social Security Disability
2916 Tazewell Pike, Ste. F
Knoxville, TN 37918
(865) 522-9000

How Long -- an Update

The statistics have been recently updated by NOSSCR. The average waiting time for a Social Security Disability hearing case at the Social Security Office of Hearings and Appeals in Knoxville, Tennessee is 490 days.

Unemployment Benefits or Disability Benefits?

With losses of jobs, many people file for Unemployment Benefits, while others turn to Social Security Disability benefits. A few do both. Here are some tips:

1. To receive unemployment in Tennessee, you must certify that you are READY to work, ABLE to work and LOOKING for work.

2. To receive Social Security Disability benefits, you must certify that you are UNABLE to work.

A person cannot have it both ways. If you elect to receive unemployment, you cannot claim to be disabled at the same time. In my experience, the Social Security judges take a dim view of people who take unemployment benefits, then ask for disability benefits at the same time. The Judges believe someone who does that is either lying to the State, or lying to the Federal government.

Get a free consultation and talk to us before filing for any benefit if you think you cannot work.

I have a new condition, do I get more in disability?

From time to time, a client whose case we have already won will call and tell me that their doctor has diagnosed them with a new condition that they did not have before and things are worse. They want to know, "Can I get more Social Security Disability benefits?"

The answer is "No." Think of Social Security disability benefits like a light switch. It is either on or off. There is no dimmer. The benefits you receive are tied to the amount of work and taxes you have paid over the years. Generally, the more you work, the more you earn, and the more taxes you pay over the years, the more you will receive in Social Security disability benefits.

Here is an article from the Asbury Park Press that gives a good explanation.

Social Security Struggles With Disability Backlog

NPR did a story on today's "Morning Edition" program telling about the problems SSA has with the disability backlog. We have a similar backlog in East Tennessee. In Knoxville, the wait time for a hearing is approximately 18 months. In Kingsport, it is approximately 13 months.

Read the whole story here.

What is this going to cost me?

I get lots of telephone calls from people with Social Security Disability claims who are worried about the fee for an attorney. In most cases, my client and I both sign a Fee Agreement. No fee is owed unless we win your claim for Social Security Disability or SSI benefits.

If we win, the fee is 25% of the back benefits, subject to a cap set by SSA. There is no fee on future benefits.

If you are interested, you can read all of the details about the Fee Agreement process here.

What can I do to improve my chances of winning my Social Security disability claim?

First, be honest and complete in giving information to Social Security about what is disabling you. Many claimants, for instance, fail to mention their psychiatric problems to Social Security because they are embarrassed about them. In almost all cases, individuals who were slow learners in school fail to mention this fact to Social Security, even though it can have a good deal to do with whether or not the Social Security disability claim is approved.

Second, keep appealing. Most claims are denied in the early stages. Many people who have good claims give up. Don't give up.

Most important, hire an experienced person to represent you. It is important to hire an experienced person who understands the way Social Security works. Statistically, people who employ an attorney to represent them are much more likely to win than those who go unrepresented.

Disability Benefits and Income Taxes

Each year we get questions from former clients about how their Social Security benefits affect income tax. Here is a good handout from NOSSCR that is worth reading.

Medical Care for Those Without Insurance

The next West Knoxville Free Clinic is scheduled for March 28th.

Call 865-675-3743 to make an appointment or obtain additional information.

The clinic takes place at Farragut Family Practice (11201 West Point Drive, Suite 102 Knoxville, TN 37934).