At Incapacity Legislation Group, we take pleasure in advocating for our shoppers and by no means backing down, even within the face of repeated denials. Our latest success story entails a 48-year-old veteran from Warren, Michigan, who fought a protracted and troublesome battle to acquire his rightful incapacity advantages. This case is a testomony to the perseverance and experience of our authorized workforce, together with attorneys Erika Riggs and Mandy Kelly, who labored tirelessly to safe a optimistic consequence.
Our consumer, a veteran with a service-connected incapacity ranking of 80%, filed for Incapacity Insurance coverage Advantages (SSD) on Could 19, 2020, after being unable to work attributable to a mix of extreme bodily and psychological well being impairments. Regardless of having a university schooling and a piece historical past as a supply driver and medical assistant, his situations made it not possible for him to proceed working. His incapacity declare was initially denied a number of instances, resulting in a prolonged authorized course of that included an attraction to the U.S. District Courtroom and a remand order from the Courtroom then the Appeals Council.
The claimant, had alleged incapacity again to 2019, however what difficult his case most was that his work credit expired again in 2022, that means his incapacity should be confirmed again to that date, at a minimal, for him to be eligible. His case was difficult by a wide range of medically determinable impairments, together with bronchial asthma, degenerative lumbar disc illness, post-laminectomy and fusion, bilateral knee osteoarthrosis, bipolar II dysfunction, nervousness dysfunction, and extra. These situations resulted in extreme ache, restricted mobility, and vital psychological well being challenges that severely impacted his skill to work.
After the case was remanded by the Appeals Council in June 2023, lawyer Erika Riggs represented our consumer in a subsequent listening to earlier than an Administrative Legislation Decide (ALJ). The ALJ reviewed new medical proof, together with up to date MRI outcomes, orthopedic therapy data, and psychological well being therapy notes, all of which demonstrated the worsening of our consumer’s situations. His bodily impairments have been so extreme that they required him to make use of a cane for ambulation, and he was scheduled for a complete knee alternative attributable to debilitating osteoarthritis.
Lawyer Riggs successfully argued that the mix of our consumer’s impairments, together with power again and knee ache, numbness and tingling within the decrease extremities, shortness of breath, and extreme psychological well being signs, rendered him incapable of performing any work on a sustained foundation. The ALJ agreed with our evaluation and located that our consumer was certainly disabled. Remarkably, the ALJ awarded advantages while not having any testimony from a Vocational Professional (VE), recognizing the overwhelming proof of our consumer’s limitations.
On account of this favorable determination, our consumer was awarded greater than $85,000 in backpay, a life-changing quantity that can present much-needed monetary stability along with medical insurance and validation of his well being journey.
However the story doesn’t finish there. Whereas lawyer Riggs was combating for our consumer’s SSD advantages, lawyer and Incapacity Legislation Group companion Mandy Kelly has been concurrently engaged on his VA incapacity case. By her diligent efforts, our consumer was additionally awarded further VA incapacity advantages, additional acknowledging the severity of his service-connected situations. She continues to struggle to safe his 100% Everlasting and Complete incapacity advantages via the VA.
This case exemplifies the significance of persistence and the worth of getting a devoted authorized workforce by your aspect. Our consumer confronted quite a few setbacks and denials, however with the unwavering help of Incapacity Legislation Group, he was capable of safe the advantages he deserved. We’re proud to have been part of his journey and to have helped him obtain the justice he was searching for.
At Incapacity Legislation Group, we perceive that each case is exclusive, and we’re dedicated to offering customized, compassionate illustration to every of our shoppers. For those who or somebody you already know is struggling to acquire incapacity advantages, our skilled workforce is right here to assist.
