Workers in any industry in Tennessee face personal injury hazards whenever they are on duty. The general assumption that only workers in construction or industrial work need to be concerned with safety regulations provides a false sense of security to many business owners. A workplace injury can occur in circumstances where accidents are not anticipated.
I periodically report on the increasing processing times for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claimants waiting for hearings. One of the reasons for these increases is the dramatic decrease in on-the-record (OTR) decisions issued by Senior Attorney Adjudicators (SAAs). SAAs can issue fully favorable OTRs usually in cases where the
The Tennessee family of a young woman, who has been in a coma since the middle of December, is still hoping for a miracle. The 20-year-old girl went to a concert with some of her friends. On their way home that evening, they were involved in a car wreck. According to the young woman’s mother,
My periodic summary and review of hearing office wait times and approval rates for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and SSI shows the bad news continues. Just since October of 2014, the national average processing time for claims before the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review is up 16 days to 421 days, which is
There is very little doubt that a motor vehicle accident is a traumatic experience, especially when resulting in serious injury or death. When a car accident occurs, victims or their families, depending on the case, may be entitled to file a claim for damages resulting from the accident. For this reason, most states have instituted legislation requiring
In July of 2013, the SSA released guidance to adjudicators regarding the usefulness of GAF scores in Social Security Disability and SSI claims. With the publication of the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), GAF scores are no longer included and the question arises of what will the SSA do with
A Tennessee woman cannot remember anything about a multi-vehicle accident that left two people dead. The car wreck happened on an early December evening. The injured driver said that she picked up her 20-year-old boyfriend at a local fast food restaurant, and they were on their way to his family home. The injured 23-year-old woman only
Social Security Disability or SSI claimants and representatives often are faced with Unfavorable Decisions from ALJs or non-referrals or reviews by the Appeals Council. Here are ten reasons that sometimes prevent a favorable outcome. 1. Failure to formulate a complete and detailed theory of the case, covering ALL FIVE steps of the sequential evaluation. 2. Failure to ask for the
Each year, a significant number of farmers and their workers are injured while going about their regular duties. According to those who have been farming for many years, safety on farms was not really a priority a half century ago. Fortunately, a current focus on safe working conditions has led to a decrease in the