Disability Attorney Derek Brown

03/22/2025

02/12/2025

SSDI/SSI updates for 2025:

The maximum SSDI payment is now $4,018 a month.

The maximum SSI payment is now $967 a month.

Substantial Gainful Activity increased to $1,620 a month, which means you are eligible to seek SSDI benefits if you make $1,620 a month or less.

And remember, if your disability claim is turned down call Brown!!!

04/24/2023

Can you start a Social Security Disability Insurance claim after the claimant dies?

The answer is yes. A spouse, child or parent of the deceased claimant may start a disability claim within 3 months of the deceased claimant's month of death. We must prove the claimant’s physical or mental impairments were severe for more than 12 months before the claimant died in order to receive a favorable decision.

04/10/2023

Happy Easter from my family to yours!

01/24/2023

How does your education affect a disability claim?

Generally speaking, the more educated a claimant is the more likely he or she will develop work-related skills that can transfer to less exertional jobs in the national economy.

When a claimant is above 50 years old and has physical impairments, it is actually easier to win a disability claim if he or she did not receive a high school diploma or GED.

And remember, if your disability claim is turned down call Brown!!!

07/26/2022

Disability Tip #16: Get as much medical treatment as you can before you stop working.

If your physical or mental impairments are worsening, and you do not believe you can work much longer, it is very important that you seek as much medical treatment as you can before you quit working.

I represent dozens of claimants a year who stopped working due to a back or knee impairment, but haven't seen an orthopedic doctor or received an MRI/x-ray in the last five years. This makes it very difficult for me to try to win your claim because objective medical evidence is the key to a favorable decision.

If you are employed, you will likely have health insurance or at least more disposable income to spend on treatment. Try to build up your disability claim before you are unemployed by seeking frequent and aggressive treatment, and make sure to complain to your doctors about how your impairments limit your work-related abilities (i.e. sitting, standing, walking, lifting, concentrating, pace).

Then when you get fired, or decide to quit due to your impairments, you will be much more likely to win a disability claim.

And remember, if your disability claim is turned down call Brown!!!

02/09/2022

Disability Tip #15: You can check to see approximately how much your monthly disability payment will be before you apply.

Clients frequently ask me how much they will receive a month in SSDI benefits if their disability claim is approved. I have handled so many cases that I can estimate about how much your monthly benefit payment will be based on your average annual earnings for the past 5-10 years, however, I recommend either calling your local Social Security Office or setting up a "My Social Security Account" online. The web address is ssa.gov/myaccount/.

Even if you are not seeking disability benefits I recommend setting up a My Social Security Account because you can see how much you have earned every year of your working life, and you can also see what your projected early/full retirement payments will be once you hit retirement age.

If you are ineligible for SSDI benefits, the maximum SSI benefit for an individual person is $841.00 a month.

And remember, if your disability claim is turned down call Brown!

my Social Security | Open a my Social Security account today and rest easy knowing that you're in control of your future.