Recent Victory at Social Security
Social Security disability is often a marathon, not a sprint. And by that I mean, it often takes a long time for a hearing (about 16-18 months in Mobile), and during that time, it’s important to steadily build the evidence for your disability case.
Recently, I won a case dealing with a claimant with orthopedic complaints. This claimant had filed for benefits way back in January 2015 – almost 2 and a half years ago! He originally filed with complaints of arthropathy (i.e. joint disease) and osteoarthritis. However, like many people in our country, this claimant didn’t have insurance. That means he wasn’t able to get the specialized orthopedic care he needed. He was, however, dedicated to going to the low-cost clinic in our area, where he would describe to the doctor the types of joint pains he was experiencing.
Because we had these non-specialized records from the low-cost clinic, the Administrative Law Judge at the hearing agreed to send the claimant out for a consultative orthopedic examination. That’s where Social Security will pay a fee for a specialist, like an orthopedist, to evaluate you. The orthopedist in this case did some x-rays and found some evidence of degenerative joint disease. Because of all of these findings, the ALJ decided to have another hearing where a medical expert could look over all of the records and give an opinion regarding the claimant’s ability to do work.
So finally, in April, there we were – a full 2 years and 3 months after his original application – having a final hearing in his disability case. But ultimately, it was worth it. Based on the medical expert’s opinion, the claimant won his disability benefits. It’s a long road – a marathon, not a sprint – but it can really pay off in the long run, so don’t lose hope. Just keep plugging along, going to the doctor, and developing your case.
If you have filed for Social Security disability or Supplemental Security income or have been denied your benefits, contact Gardberg and Kemmerly, P.C today. Gardberg & Kemmerly, P.C has been assisting Social Security claimants win their disability claims for over 40 years in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and Louisiana.