Happy Thanksgiving!
Today is a special day in the United States where we take time to think about the things that we have and to be thankful to those that support us throughout our lives.  Today I would like to thank all those that make my job possible.  Without you, I would not be in the position that I am in today. First, thank you to all my wonderful current and former clients.  Your confidence in me is the only reason that I have a job.  Thank you for understanding when I have to deliver disappointing news or when I cannot immediately speak with you or return your call.  Thank you for believing in my office and me, and for referring your friends and family when they need assistance.  Despit

Impact of High Administrative Law Judge Denial Rates on Disabled Delaware Residents
The Delaware News Journal published several articles this week discussing the denial rates of Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) that work for the Social Security Administration.  The focus of the series was on the Dover Delaware Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR).  The articles noted that Delaware residents have faced a higher standard to prove eligibility for disability between 2005 and 2008. The ALJ denial rates have serious implications on individuals that live in Delaware and have physical or mental disabilities.  Because of the high denial rate, more Delawareans are approved at th

Disability Approval Rates for Dover Delaware Office of Disability Adjudication and Review
Things are about to get interesting at the Dover Delaware Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.  The Delaware News Journal is running a teaser on its website indicating that an article titled “Social Insecurity: Are Judges Fair?” will run in the Sunday, November 22, 2009 edition.  The teaser is suggesting that residents in Delaware are facing tougher Administrative Law Judges than most of the Country. The article comes as no surprise to me or the Social Security Administration.  The News Journal has been working on this expose for over 2 years now, and the In

Disability Benefits For Displaced Workers As A Result Of Recent Plant Closings
The State of Delaware has lost three major employers in the past year.  Chrysler completely shut its Newark Delaware automobile manufacturing plant in December 2008, followed by GM closing its Boxwood Road Saturn plant in July 2009.  Most recently, Valero announced on November 20, 2009 that it would permanently close its refinery in Delaware City.  All three of these closings have resulted in skilled highly

Role of the Social Security Administration District Office in Your Disability Determination
When you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income Payments (SSI) it is important that you understand how the disability determination is made.  The decision of whether you are medically disabled is not actually made at your local Social Security Administration Office.  The role of the Social Security Administration District Office in your disability application is making a determination of whether you qualify for the non-medical requirements and actually processing your application.  The medical eligibility determination is made at the Disability Determination Service, the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, the Appea