For more than three decades, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) has led the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month by conducting an engaging public awareness campaign in March of each year. The theme for the 2018 to 2020 campaign is Change Your Mind. The #ChangeYourMind public awareness campaign provides a platform for… read more

If you are partially, legally, or totally blind, you may be able to qualify for Social Security disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) details how significant your vision loss must be for it to qualify as a disability. Your vision loss must be quite significant, and if you have good vision in one eye,… read more

Sometimes the Social Security Administration (SSA) can use the fact that you drink or use drugs as a reason to ignore your disabling symptoms and limitations and deny your claim. In other cases, however, it is possible to get disability benefits even if you drink or use drugs. Whether drug or alcohol use will affect… read more

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Fortunately, it is largely preventable (see links below for heart health tips). If you suffer from a heart condition, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. Certain impairments are considered severe enough by themselves to warrant a finding of disability based… read more

There are certain situations which require the Social Security Administration (SSA) to make fast disability decisions. The process of applying for and getting Social Security disability is lengthy, and it can take up to two years – or longer – to get a final decision. Fortunately, there are a few types of claims called “critical… read more

It is not uncommon for military veterans to have both Social Security Disability and Veterans (VA) Disability claims at the same time. An award of VA disability benefits, also known as service-connected disability compensation, is not based on income, so you can receive VA disability compensation and Social Security Disability insurance (SSDI) at the same… read more

Many people wonder if they can collect unemployment benefits while applying for Social Security Disability. After all, it can take months or even years for the Social Security Administration to approve a claim for Social Security Disability benefits. Usually, Social Security Disability and unemployment benefits are mutually exclusive because they serve different populations. Unemployment benefits… read more

To be eligible for Social Security disability benefits, a person must be unable to engage in “substantial gainful activity” (SGA). A person who is working and earning more than a certain monthly amount is ordinarily considered to be engaging in SGA. The amount of monthly earnings considered as SGA depends on the nature of a… read more

Approximately 300 million people worldwide are living with viral hepatitis unaware. Without finding the undiagnosed and linking them to care, millions will continue to suffer, and lives will be lost. On World Hepatitis Day, July 28, the World Hepatitis Alliance calls on people from across the world to take action, raise awareness and join in… read more

There is an agency in every state that employs disability claims examiners who decide the disability claims for Social Security and Medicaid cases for all applicants of that state. In many states, the agency is called “Disability Determination Services,” or DDS, but the agency goes by various names. For instance, Florida calls its agency the… read more