After the stay-at-home order that went into effect in California on March 19, 2020, COVID-19 is impacting every person and business across the state. At the LaPorte Law Firm we recognize that this period is a time of great uncertainty, and the ground seems to be shifting with the rapidly evolving crisis.

The shelter in place order that went into effect on March 17, 2020 impacts over 7 million people across six bay area counties. The order is expected to last until at least April 7, 2020. This is an uncertain time for everyone, especially our clients who have waited for years for their disability hearing and now face potential further delays due to the coronavirus.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps, helps provide support for low-income households to buy food. If you receive SSI, you may be eligible to receive SNAP assistance to purchase food.

After your application for disability benefits is approved, the Social Security Administration periodically reviews your medical impairments to determine if you are still disabled. If the SSA determines that you are no longer disabled, you will stop receiving benefits. This review of your impairment is called a Continuing Disability Review (“CDR”)

If you are receiving social security disability benefits, you may be eligible to have your federal student loans canceled through the “Total and Permanent Disability” discharge. This discharge means that you don’t have to repay your federal student loans.

At the LaPorte Law Firm, we monitor closely the decisions of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Social Security matters. The Ninth Circuit Court hears appeals of SSA decisions for residents of western states of the U.S., including California, Hawaii, and Nevada.

The Social Security Administration has released information about the changes that are coming in 2020. Each year, the Social Security Administration must make changes that are tied to inflation. Here are the five most important things you need to know as we look forward to 2020.

On August 26, 2019, the Social Security Administration released Social Security Ruling 19-4p, a new Ruling that addresses primary headache disorder. This Ruling explains how the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) evaluates primary headache disorders in disability claims.

At the LaPorte Law Firm our clients primarily live in the Bay Area. The hearing offices in the Bay Area – San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, and San Rafael – are under the jurisdiction of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. Here is a summary of updated Ninth Circuit case law that deals with issues effecting Social Security Disability Claimants.

To determine if a claimant can perform a job despite limitations from a health problem, the Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) will hear testimony from a vocational expert. The vocational expert is an impartial expert who has a working knowledge of the existence and demands of jobs in the national economy.