The laws and legal principles regarding personal injury claims apply in many different situations. Before, taking a look at the basics of personal injury claims resulting from car accidents, perhaps it is best to consider what personal injury law actually is. In Tennessee, as across the United States, personal injury law provides a legal remedy
For several years now, the Social Security Administration has been trying to implement video teleconferencing (VTC) for Social Security Disability and SSI hearings. There are several proffered rationales including decreasing the disparity of wait and approval times between different hearing office. I personally do not like participating in VTC hearings and believe that they are
A 68-year-old woman died in a car accident, just like her parents died many decades ago. The deceased and a friend were on their way to their 50 year high school reunion when the car wreck happened in Robertson County. Shortly after arriving in Tennessee, the two ladies were involved in a head-on collision. The
In addition to SSD claims, our office handles Railroad Retirement Board claims. Injured or disabled employees of a railroad can apply to the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) for disability. The RRB administers the program and some of the benefits and procedures mirror the Social Security Administration’s disability program and benefits. For railroad employees there are
The number of automobile accidents on Tennessee roads where teenage drivers are involved may be a matter of concern to many road users. When comparing the requirements for obtaining a driver’s license in Tennessee to that of a neighboring state, it may leave a person wondering whether this may be the cause of many car
In Social Security Disability and SSI claims, the main focus almost always is proving the Claimant’s residual functional capacity (RFC) is such that he or she qualifies for disability under the Social Security Administration’s regulations. Last week, I discussed showing limitations through lay testimony and this week the focus will be on proving a claimant’s RFC
Dogs are known as man’s best friend and provide companionship to many. Unfortunately, dog bites also occur quite frequently. The state of Tennessee has specific laws dealing with the responsibilities of owners of dogs, as well as the rights of victims suffering injuries resulting from a dog attack. According to Tennessee law, a person is considered
In my Social Security Disability and SSI claims, the question often comes up whether it is a good idea to have witnesses other than the claimant testify at the hearing. This is also known as “lay testimony.” Most ALJs frown on bringing a load of lay witnesses if the testimony will be duplicative. However, sometimes
As noted in the past, Social Security Disability and SSI claimants continue to see a worsening trend in terms of hearing office processing or wait times and percentage of claims being approved at the hearing level. This trend has steadily continued over the last few years and has worsened since just July of 2014. The
After any accident, there are many legal and procedural requirements that can make filing a claim for injuries suffered a difficult process. When the vehicle involved is a truck, the case can become even more complicated. In Tennessee, the victim of a truck accident may find that not only may it be necessary to consider
When it comes to injuries suffered due to animal bites, many questions come to mind. One question is if the animal type influences the victim’s right to claim for injuries suffered. Animal bite victims in Tennessee considering filing claims after suffering bite injuries may find that the animal type may play a role. Dog bites
A child may qualify for Childhood SSI disability benefits due to Sickle Cell Anemia or Sickle Cell Disease. Childhood SSI claims are evaluated differently than adult claims for Social Security Disability or SSI. The requirements are actually more stringent. If the child is not working and has “severe” impairments, the Social Security Administration determines whether
Following up on our blog post about a tragic truck accident on Aug. 14 (Truck accident kills 18-year-old, injures infant), a federal lawsuit was recently filed by the mother of the 18-year-old woman who lost her life in the Tennessee accident. The driver of the tractor-trailer, along with the owner of the vehicle were named
The full Tennessee Supreme Court recently reversed a Panel decision thus reinstating the trial court’s award of 90% permanent partial disability finding that the voluntary retirement was related to the work injuries and the employee acted reasonably. In Yang v. Nissan N. Am., Inc., 2014 Tenn. LEXIS 607, 2014 WL 3893058 (Tenn. Aug. 11, 2014), the Employee began
An accident on a recent Saturday afternoon in August has resulted in the death of an army veteran and a sophomore. The driver of the car, a 29-year-old army veteran, passed away on the way to the hospital, not long after the car wreck. The Tennessee sophomore, a 14-year-old boy, was a passenger in the
As discussed previously, Social Security Disability and SSI claims involve consideration of vocational factors. One of the main resources for vocational information for the Social Security Administration is the Dictionary of Occupational Titles or the DOT. The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) was developed in response to the demand of an expanding public employment service
A tragic accident in which an 18-year-old girl died and her two passengers were injured happened on a recent Tuesday afternoon in August. The accident led to the closure of a Tennessee highway and the redirection of traffic through a nearby town. The truck accident, which was allegedly caused by reckless driving, happened just before
As discussed recently, in deciding Social Security Disability or SSI claim, the Social Security Administration follows a sequential evaluation process. At step 4 of that process, the SSA looks to see if the person applying for disability can do her past relevant work. But what is past relevant work? The term “work experience” means skills
An accident between a car and a motorcycle on a recent Saturday evening at the end of July ended in tragedy. The Tennessee car wreck happened in the early evening on Chapman Highway in Knoxville. Police reports indicate that the motorcycle was travelling in the left lane when the driver of an SUV made a
When someone applies for Social Security Disability or SSI, the Social Security Administration follows a five-step sequential evaluation for determining eligibility. This process is followed regardless of the level of decision (application, reconsideration, or a hearing). This is the process used for adult claims. For information on the process for childhood SSI click here. The five steps