Social Security Disability Practice

Detailed guidance is important when navigating the hidden rules, obscure interpretations, and frequent delays common to Social Security disability cases.

Turn to Tom Bush’s Social Security Disability Practice when challenges or questions arise. This 1000-page masterwork covers the waterfront of social security disability practice:

Selecting good cases. Sections 160-62
Determining the basis for denial, and common erroneous reasons for denial. Sections 173, 207
Comparison of Social Security disability and SSI. Section 135
Obtaining and dealing with medical and vocational opinion evidence. Section 220
Impairment-specific RFC questionnaires. Section 230
Issues commonly arising in hearings. Section 287
Preparing claimants and witnesses to testify, including questionnaires and letters. Section 290
Specific and detailed hearing questions for claimants, witnesses, and experts. Chapter 3
Proving inability to do unskilled sedentary work, including cross-examination questions. Section 346.6
Using the Medical-Vocational Guidelines as framework for decision-making, with charts, questions for the vocational expert, and court decisions. Section 348
Res judicata and reopening applications. Section 370
Index of key rulings. Appendix 1
Calculating back benefits, with worksheet. Section 430
Payment issues and solutions, with directory of contact information. Section 440
Developing a legal theory for appeal, with checklist and sample briefs. Chapter 5
Attorney fee issues and solutions. Chapter 7
And much, much more.

Considered by many to be the most practical work in the field, Social Security Disability Practice is chock-full of practice-proven forms. Developed by author Tom Bush for his own office, these forms will save you hours and improve your advocacy. Just a few of the tips found in the helpful charts, appendices and forms include:

Use “Maximum RFC Permitted for Disability Finding” to quickly determine what exertional limitations a claimant must have in order to win a disability case. Section 121.1
“Social Security Disability and SSI Compared” summarizes differences between the two programs. Section 135
“Physical Limitations and Their Effects on Ranges of Work” will help you understand specific medical restrictions. Section 271.1
Author Tom Bush keeps a copy of “Different Standards of Transferability for Different Ages” in his briefcase for questioning vocational experts at hearings. Section 349.6
Begin your research on disability issues with “Guide to Important Social Security Rulings and Acquiescence Rulings.” Appendix 1
Prepare for cross-examination with “Medical Expert Handbook,” “Vocational Expert Self-study Guide” and “Vocational Expert Handbook” excerpts from manuals given by SSA to medical and vocational experts. Appendices 4, 7, and 8
Vocational experts frequently testify with questionable validity that they know from “experience” of unlisted jobs that qualify as Unskilled Sedentary Occupations. Use this Dictionary of Occupation Titles list together with Tom Bush’s recommended cross-examination questions to shoot them down. Appendix 5
“The Advocates’ Conflicting Obligations Vis-a-vis Adverse Medical Evidence in Social Security Proceedings” tackles the ethical issue that haunts all practitioners—must you submit an adverse medical report? Appendix 9
“Sources of Information” provides summaries, critiques, and ordering information for dozens of other helpful resources. Appendix 2
The telephone intake form helps screen out frivolous cases, and the claimant questionnaire, while lengthy, is a real attorney timesaver. Accompanying client letters and memos reduce the number of common client questions you have to answer. Sections 164-67, 181
Overcome low back pain denials with maximum detail and explanations from the treating physician using the “Lumbar Spine RFC Questionnaire.” Section 231.2
“Activities Questionnaire,” sent a few days before the hearing, can help claimants think about how their impairments have changed their lives. Section 291
With these model questions, show that the vocational expert’s testimony about the number of unskilled sedentary jobs within the claimant’s RFC is hogwash. Section 348.8
Detailed hearing questions for the claimant on work experience, medical history and treatment, physical and mental symptoms, RFC, and daily activities. Sections 312-19

Minimize the frustrations in dealing with the SSA, the author, a veteran disability representative, clarifies issues such as: developing the theory of the case, establishing and proving pain, dealing with vocational and medical experts and using the fee agreement process. Useful forms, questionnaires, and checklists help you streamline cases. The two volume book now includes a CD-ROM containing more than 120 forms and the full-text of the book in a searchable format. The CD makes it easy to customize them for your own use.

Updated annually. ISBN 0-938065-07-6. Book price: $149.00

Reviews

"I have read it now cover to cover, and I’m convinced that you have covered the length and breadth of practice issues."

—N. Shor, Executive Director of NOSSCR

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Related Titles:

Bohr's Social Security Issues Annotated

Social Security Advisory Service

Social Security Disability Medical Tests

Social Security Disability Advocate's Handbook

More Social Security Publications

Updated 11/11/09