by jamesratchford | May 11, 2020 | Firm News
Check out my new video series on the YouTube channel, linked right here. I discuss the overall legal standard for proving disability, which is known as the 5-step Sequential Evaluation Process. Here’s the overview video, and you can follow along below for more...
by jamesratchford | Apr 16, 2020 | Firm News
In the last two posts, we covered the key dates at the beginning of a disability claim: the onset date (AOD), the date last insured (DLI), the filing date, and the entitlement date. It’s important to keep these dates in mind at the beginning of the claim and at...
by jamesratchford | Apr 16, 2020 | Firm News
In the last post, I went into some detail on the Date Last Insured, a key date in a claim for Title II/SSD benefits. Let’s see how that date fits in more generally with the overall claims process. The DLI is a function of your tax history, so unless you return to...
by jamesratchford | Apr 16, 2020 | Firm News
One of the most important elements of advancing an SSD/SSI claim is timing. You need to know when to file for maximum benefits and when to complete each step of the process along the way. You may have seen my other detailed post going step by step through the claim...
by jamesratchford | Mar 27, 2020 | Firm News
In other posts, I’ve mentioned what we call the “grid rules” but haven’t gone into detail about them. We call them “grid rules” because the actual regulation is laid out in a grid chart, but the formal name is the “Medical Vocational Guidelines.” The citation to the...
by jamesratchford | Mar 25, 2020 | Firm News
You may have heard of the “grid rules,” formally known as the Medical Vocational Guidelines, which is a regulation that makes it easier for people over 50 (and people who can’t communicate in English over 45) to qualify for benefits. Because of these rules, it can be...
