On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility (Illness, Injuries, Mental Conditions) on Saturday, May 19, 2012
As discussed in the previous post, a new clinical trial for Alzheimer's disease is about to begin in Colombia. The trial wants to treat people who are guaranteed to develop Alzheimer's early in adulthood with an drug before they start to show symptoms in order to see whether early treatment can prevent symptoms from beginning at all.
The trial focuses on an extended family in Colombia of 5,000 people that suffers from early-onset Alzheimer's at an alarming rate. Early-onset Alzheimer's has been shown to cause similar damage to the brain as regular Alzheimer's and so what is learned in this trial could help all Alzheimer's patients.
Early-onset Alzheimer's can hit people in the prime of their adult lives and make it impossible to continue working. Alzheimer's causes a deterioration of the memory and can also cause anxiety, sadness, irritability and impulsivity. People with early-onset Alzheimer's may need to apply for Social Security disability benefits.
On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility (Illness, Injuries, Mental Conditions) on Friday, May 18, 2012
Scientists are getting ready to start a new clinical trial in Colombia that could eventually help Alzheimer's patients in Pennsylvania. The trial is testing whether early treatment of people with a genetic mutation that guarantees early-onset Alzheimer's can prevent the development of the disease.
The trial is focused on an extended family in Colombia of 5,000 people. This group of people is believed to suffer from Alzheimer's at a rate higher than anywhere else in the world. A recent piece in The New York Times discussed the trial and the family's struggle. One family discussed had an 82-year-old mother caring for three of her four middle-aged children who all have Alzheimer's disease.
In the U.S., people with early-onset Alzheimer's may need to apply for Social Security disability benefits because the disease causes damage to the brain that can make it impossible to work. The disease can also cause irritability, sadness, impulsivity and anxiety.
On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility (Illness, Injuries, Mental Conditions) on Friday, May 11, 2012
Most working Pennsylvania residents do not consider the possibility that they may become disabled at some time during their lives. This is why most people do not plan for such an event by carrying disability insurance that would be adequate to meet financial obligations. However, when an accident occurs, or when someone is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease making it difficult or impossible to work, they will need to find a different way to make to ends meet while also learning to cope with their disability or illness.
One way Pennsylvania residents can obtain the financial assistance they may need after becoming disabled is to apply for Social Security disability, which is exactly what one woman decided to do. She left a good paying job with Merrill Lynch with aspirations to start her own independent financial planning business. However, her life changed drastically when she had an accident. She fell off of a porch and broke her elbow. What seemed like a minor injury at first actually ended up destroying her career goals.
On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility (Illness, Injuries, Mental Conditions) on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Many disabled Pennsylvania residents would much rather be working than be suffering from a disability. Take for example, the story of a 60-year-old man who had worked as a tow-truck driver and as a musician. However, he is now disabled, and like many other disabled individuals in Pennsylvania, he has managed to make ends meet only with the help of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
Before the recession, this man earned approximately $2,000 per week. However, after the recession hit, his weekly pay dropped to $800 per week because of decreased demand for his services. Finally in 2009 he was laid off from his job, at which point he filed for unemployment insurance. He then started collecting $1,200 per month.
On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility (Illness, Injuries, Mental Conditions) on Friday, May 4, 2012
According to the Social Security Administration, the number of people relying on Social Security disability benefits now tops 10 million, a jump of more than 50 percent from ten years ago. Though historically the number of beneficiaries has risen every year, during the recession the number increased exponentially.
What's the explanation? First, the recession took a toll on residents in Pennsylvania and around the country. Overall, though, the recession and the flagging job market took an especially heavy toll on people with disabilities.
On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability and SSI Supplemental Security Income on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Many disabled Pennsylvania residents rely on Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits in order to cover basic living expenses, such as food, shelter and clothing. In many cases, interruptions or reductions of SSD benefits would greatly affect their ability to make ends meet.
Unfortunately, the future of SSD recipients may be at risk in light of recent reports from the Social Security Administration that the SSD fund is close to being insolvent. In fact, it is estimated that within only four years, the fund from which SSD payments are made will be operating beyond its current holdings.
It is entirely possible that Congress will decide to act now before the fund becomes insolvent. Hopefully, legislators will figure out a way to maintain the SSD fund without harming SSD recipients.
On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility (Illness, Injuries, Mental Conditions) on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The month of April is Parkinson's Awareness Month. Parkinson's disease is a chronic and progressive motor systems disorder. Symptoms of the condition worsen over time and include tremors, rigidity, postural instability and slowness of movement. This means that a person's fine motor control, ability to control their limbs and hands, balance and coordination and ability to communicate degenerate over time.
How Parkinson's affects people and the speed in which the disease progresses varies between patients. The disease usually affects people over the age of 50, but early-onset Parkinson's can affect people in their prime of their careers, such as happened to actor Michael J. Fox. People with Parkinson's disease may need to apply for Social Security disability benefits if their symptoms make it impossible to continue working.
On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility (Illness, Injuries, Mental Conditions) on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
There has been increasing awareness among the parents and coaches of youth sports players as well as among professional players and coaches of the importance of preventing brain injuries.
There is much still to be learned about the brain and treating brain injuries, but it is known that treatment must come soon after an injury and repeated injuries can lead to lasting damage. People with severe traumatic brain injuries or early-onset dementia may need to apply for Social Security disability benefits if they can no longer work.
For this reason, players are being taken out of games until their brain is fully healed after a concussion. Helmet makers are also working on improving helmet designs in order to better prevent brain injuries.
On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility (Illness, Injuries, Mental Conditions) on Monday, April 23, 2012
As discussed in the previous post, families with children with autism have considerable expenses related to the care of their autistic child, yet may make less money than families without autistic children, which only adds to their financial obstacles. According to a recent Reuters article, a study recently found that mothers of children with autism earn less money on average than mothers who do not have autistic children.
Fathers earn the same on average, but mothers earn less, meaning the household brings in less money overall. Mothers with autistic children also work fewer hours outside the home and even earn less money than mothers who have children with other disabilities. This may be in part because children with autism can fall between the cracks of different social services.
On behalf of Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, PLLC posted in Social Security Disability Benefits Eligibility (Illness, Injuries, Mental Conditions) on Sunday, April 22, 2012
Being the parent of a child with a disability can be a challenge. Depending on the circumstances, those parents take on extra roles that include teacher, advocate, caregiver and financier of medical and special support services. Being the parent of a child with autism can be especially challenging financially because autism is disability that has footing in different service systems that all seem to point the finger at the other one for coverage, if any. That service provider blame game has a unique economic trickledown effect on those families.
According to Reuters, a recent research study reveals that households with children with autism earn almost $18,000 less income than those with standard developing children. Specifically, mothers of autistic children earn an average of 56 percent less income than mothers of children without disabilities, and 35 percent less than mothers of children with other types of health issues.
