• The patient must have a “medically determinable impairment.” The Social Security Administration uses this term to describe any physical or mental impairment that can be directly attributed to a physiological or psychiatric condition that is provable by using objective evidence.

• The patient’s impairment must have lasted or will probably last a period of 12 months from the time the patient received the impairment. The patient is not subject to this requirement if the condition is terminal.

• The patient’s impairment must prevent him from performing jobs he was employed in during the past. The details of this requirement vary from case to case, depending on the patient’s job history. Ask your Greenville Social Security disability attorney for further information as it pertains to you.

• The patient’s impairment bars him from jobs that exist in substantial numbers in the current economy, when considered in conjunction with his age, work experience, and education.

• The patient’s impairment must not be sustained by drug addiction or alcoholism. Note that it does not matter if the impairment was caused by drug addiction or alcoholism, just that it is not currently being sustained by them.

The Social Security Administration uses these criteria to determine eligibility for both its disability benefits program and its Supplemental Security Income program for disabled claimants far below the federal poverty threshold.

If you fall under this definition but were nonetheless denied benefits, an experienced Greenville Social Security disability attorney from The

After being granted benefits you do not need to take any further action before you can start collecting benefits. The Social Security Administration will start sending you money immediately after they process your claim.

The only action that you or your Greenville Social Security disability attorney would have to take is if you wish to collect benefits for your dependent children as well.  In this case you need to fill out an extra form.

How long will it take to process my claim?

It will usually only take a month or two before you receive your first disability check. However, sometimes circumstances beyond your control will cause delays, and some claimants do not see any money until three months have passed. If the claimant has received no check after 90 days, it is likely that there has been some sort of error on the part of the Social Security Administration.

Even if there is a delay for some reason, you will be paid back benefits dating to the beginning of your disability regardless of how long it takes to process your claim.

If three months pass and I have still not received any benefits, what should I do?

Your best bet would be to talk to your Greenville Social Security disability attorney, who can sort things out. It may be necessary to contact the Social Security Administration’s payment facilities.

Call The Dennison Law Firm today for a free initial consultation with an experienced Greenville Social Security disability attorney.

One particular source of injuries is known as contact stress, or the result of continuous contact or rubbing between hard objects and soft body tissue such as fingers, palms, or feet. This localized pressure on a small area can inhibit nerve function, blood flow, and tendon movement.

Using scissors in cutting and trimming tasks creates contact stress with each motion to open the scissors and create friction against the unprotected sides of the fingers. Assembly-line workers might stand so that their thighs press or rub against conveyor/assembly lines, especially if the work area is small and they need to reach across the conveyor for objects. In addition, standing on steel slat platforms for long periods of time creates localized pressure in the feet, because the slats are no more than a quarter-inch wide, and act almost like a knife edge over time. The static load placed on the legs and back from standing for long periods of time reduces blood circulation and creates localized fatigue as the employee becomes more susceptible to strain.

If you have been injured due to unsafe working conditions, contact an experienced Greenville workers’ compensation attorney from The Dennison Law Firm today for a free initial consultation.

The OSHA standards require workplaces to do several things to protect against preventable injuries. They are to provide proper clearly labeled fire exits and training of employees to prevent fire-related deaths. Appropriate fire extinguishers should be placed in certain locations and available to employees if they are expected to fight small fires, and employees must be trained in the usage of fire extinguishers. If instead the employer’s policy is to have the employees evacuate, the employer must have a written emergency plan and train employees for proper evacuation procedure.

Workplaces are required to have at least two doors or other means of escape, not close to each other, for fire emergencies. The doors must not be locked or blocked from the inside when employees are in the building. Routes to the fire exits must be kept clear of obstructions and clearly marked with signs. Emergency action plans will designate evacuation routes and procedures to account for all employees and ensure they were properly evacuated.

If you have been in injured at your workplace, contact a knowledgeable Greenville workers’ compensation attorney at The Dennison Law Firm for a free initial consultation.

Your doctor will be able to tell if you have diabetes by looking for certain distinctive groups of symptoms. The most obvious and dramatic of the symptoms are the neurological symptoms. Diabetes sufferers sometimes experience headaches and dizziness, which can get so severe that that it may cause the victim to fall down. Diabetes sufferers sometimes experience blurry vision, and sometimes they can even see spots.

Diabetes also has symptoms that can affect the sufferer’s limbs, including pain and numbness in the patient’s hands and feet. These symptoms can become so severe that they restrict the sufferer’s mobility and restrict his ability to manipulate objects. There are other more general symptoms such as thirst, gastrointestinal and urinary problems, and generalized pain.

If your life is being adversely affected by diabetes, it might be necessary to consult with a knowledgeable Greenville Social Security disability attorney to see if you qualify for disability benefits. Call today for a free initial consultation with an experienced attorney from The Dennison Law Firm.

The Social Security Administration may extend your deadline for your appeal if you write a detailed letter explaining your reasons for missing the deadline. In some cases, the Social Security Administration may also require an affidavit from you. In the end, if the Administrative Law Judge reading your request for hearing determines that you had good reason for missing the deadline, the Appeals Court will grant you a deadline extension.

The Social Security Administration has a relatively specific idea of what constitutes “good cause” to miss a deadline. If you were prevented from appealing in time, whether due to a mistake on the Social Security Administration’s part or due to some other circumstance beyond your control, the Administrative Law Judge is much more likely to grant you a deadline extension.

Furthermore, if you have any physical, mental, or educational limitations preventing you from filing an appeal in time or from understanding the time limit, you are likely to receive a deadline extension. In these situations, the applicant needs someone who can legally advocate for him to request the extension, such as a parent or legal guardian, or an attorney.

For example, if a benefits applicant does not speak English well enough to understand that there was a timeline, his Social Security disability attorney has a good chance of securing a deadline extension.

It should be noted that regardless of how much time has passed since the deadline, if you can establish that you have a compelling reason to be granted an extension on your Social Security disability benefits appeal, the Administrative Law Judge will grant you an extension.

If extenuating circumstances kept you from appealing for Social Security disability benefits in time, it is still worth your time to consult with a Social Security disability attorney.  For more information about how to possibly obtain deadline extensions for submitting a disability appeal, contact the Greenville Social Security disability attorneys at The Dennison Law Firm for a free initial consultation.

The notification of stopped benefits will include the reasons that your benefits were stopped. If you find these reasons to be false (for example, it cites your doctor as saying you are cleared to work, but your doctor said no such thing) you will need to complete Section III of Form 15 in order to request a hearing with the Workers’ Compensation Commission. You will typically be granted a hearing 60 days after the Commission receives your form.

If you are cleared to work after 150 days of your injury, your employer will have you sign a Receipt of Compensation (Form 17) after you have been at work for two weeks.

Sometimes, your doctor will only partially clear you for work. If this is the case, your benefits are contingent on your accepting light work if it is offered. If you believe the doctor’s evaluation to be in error, or if you are unable to perform the work offered to you, you may request a hearing with the Commission.

This is a complex process and like any government agency, the Commission makes mistakes. Make sure you get the benefits you deserve. Call today for a free consultation with a dedicated South Carolina workers’ compensation attorney from The Dennison Law Firm.

Filing a claim is a relatively simple process. The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission provides claimants with a pair of simple forms to fill out: Form 50 and Form 52. If you are for some reason unable to download these forms, you may call the Workers’ Compensation Commission and request that any of their forms be mailed to you.

These forms are also used to request hearings, which you will not need if you are just now filing a claim. Be sure to mark the box that says you are filing a claim and not requesting a hearing. The benefits for filing a claim include coverage of all necessary medical treatment for your injury. This can include surgery, hospitalization, medication, and any devices you may need such as walkers or canes. It is important to note, however, that in order to receive these benefits, you must see the doctor chosen by your employer’s insurance company.

This process is not perfect. If you are having trouble receiving the compensation you deserve, you may need to see a qualified South Carolina workers’ compensation attorney. Call the experienced South Carolina workers’ compensation attorneys at The Dennison Law Firm today. The initial consultation is free.

Workers’ comp insurance will pay workers that are injured on the job for a portion of their medical expenses and the wages they lost while recovering from their injury. If the worker’s injury was particularly severe or permanent, workers’ comp insurance may also cover future lost wages, as compensation for disfigurement. Having workers’ comp protects employers from being liable for their employee’s injuries.

In order to make a worker’s comp claim, the claimant must fall under South Carolina’s legal definition of “employee.” This definition is quite broad, including workers that are adults and minors, full-time and part-time. The main criterion is how much control the employer has over the worker: a high degree of control distinguishes an employee from a freelancer.

If you are a workers’ compensation claimant, you will benefit from having an experienced South Carolina workers’ comp attorney on your side to pursue a settlement from the workers’ comp insurance company. Call a dedicated South Carolina workers’ attorney at The Dennison Law Firm today for a free initial consultation.

Many of our clients are worried that they will be disqualified from receiving Social Security disability benefits when they hear this news, but that is not the case. In fact, many disability benefits recipients are capable of doing at least some work. However, if you are over 50 and your doctor tells you can work with special accommodations or restrictions, your Greenville Social Security disability attorney can use those accommodations/restrictions to prove your disability.  The bar for Social Security disability is lowered for individuals over 50, and you may qualify for Social Security benefits despite the fact that you are not prevented from performing some limited work activities.

Most doctors fail to make any mention in your medical records their opinion as to whether or not you are able to work, or if you have work restrictions.  Your Greenville Social Security disability attorney can work with you to contact your doctors to have them specifically state their medical opinions as to your restrictions and/or your ability to work.  This evidence from your treating doctors can be critical to proving your claim for Social Security disability benefits.

If you have been denied benefits and suspect that you might still qualify for them, speak with an experienced Greenville Social Security disability attorney immediately. If you have any concerns about your doctor’s medical evaluation, your attorney can evaluate whether it strengthens or weakens your case and help you prepare for appeals. Do not let the appeals process intimidate you. Call a Greenville Social Security disability attorney at The Dennison Law Firm today for a free initial consultation.