The Disability Law Office of Jeffrey S. Lichtman, LLC

02/01/2023

I have closed my formal office of The Disability Law Office of Jeffrey S. Lichtman, LLC and have merged my practice into the disability law firm of Chermol & Fishman, LLC. I am no longer managing cases on a day to day basis and am “of counsel” to the firm, consulting about claims and trying cases as appropriate. My office telephone, 215-731-1150, will connect you to the Chermol firm, which is well equipped to handle Social Security disability cases remotely in the post COVID environment.

11/22/2022

Can I obtain SSD benefits for a heart transplant?

Your life has taken a serious, but not unexpected turn. You have known for months that your heart was failing, and the strong possibility existed that you needed a new one. Now, doctors have confirmed this. Leading up to this point, you have been unable to work. Your failing health has led to a myri...

11/07/2022

Physical illnesses could only be a part of what an individual may face.

Can I apply?

10/19/2022

Social Security recipients will see 8.7% payment increase

Beginning in January, the estimated 70 million Americans who receive Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will see their monthly payments increase by 8.7%. The move – announced on Oct. 13 by the Social Security Administration (SSA) – represents the highest cost-of-livi...

10/04/2022

When may an injured or ill worker qualify for SSD?

A job injury prevents you from working. As a result, you wonder whether you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits. This is the time to take a serious look at applying for these benefits. Your ability to secure these benefits comes from a combination of things, including the severity of...

09/30/2022

The Congressional refusal to properly fund SSA (and the state agencies that do the work-up and evaluation of disability claims at the Initial and Reconsideration levels of review) is harming people, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, liberals, conservatives and tRumpists included. This is because the Disability Determination Services are dramatically understaffed and claims are taking forever to be assigned, worked up and decided. This message from the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives is enlightening and I ask you to call your US Representative and advise him or her that you want the Social Security Administration properly funded and staffed so it can do its work. This is especially important if your U.S. Representative is a Republican as, not surprisingly, Rs are at the root of much of the underfunding.

Here is the NOSSCR statement:

To help address the growing DDS backlog, NOSSCR has been working closely with OHO to have certain hearing office staff temporarily reassigned to the state agencies.

We are pleased to report that OHO has agreed to send a significant number of attorney advisors to the DDSs for a one-year detail. They are currently in training, and we are hopeful this will help reduce the enormous backlog of cases pending at the DDS level.

OHO also reported that 56 new ALJs have been hired and will start their training in mid-October. NOSSCR is continuing to work with OHO and other components of SSA on a variety of issues and we will keep you informed of our efforts and results.

David Camp
NOSSCR President

09/28/2022

Mental disorders that qualify workers for SSD benefits

Not only may certain physical ailments and diseases qualify workers to receive Social Security disability (SSD) benefits, but certain mental disorders do, too. The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers that 11 types of mental disorders may qualify workers for SSD benefits. However, while so...

09/24/2022

From Homecoming last Saturday at The Linc, with Jim Tait and Tony Borgia.

09/24/2022

How to apply for Social Security disability benefits

Once you determined that your injury is serious enough to prevent you from working at least a year, it is crucial to take the steps to apply for Social Security disability benefits. Do so as soon as possible because it may take you more than a year to receive those benefits. But to even get

09/20/2022

Shrinking budget leads to longer wait for SSA services

The erosion of funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA) has led to never-before-seen waiting times for people seeking disability benefits. In August, disability benefits applicants were forced to wait more than six months before the SSA made its initial disability decision. That number ....

09/16/2022

Two-thirds of applicants denied SSD benefits

You know that your chances of an initial rejection for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits are good. In a review of all applications from the 2010 decade, the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied 67% of all claims. Because your disability limits you, you must continue to fight for those...

09/08/2022

Learn how to get benefits for this condition.

Here's what hopeful applicants need to know.