To be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits, a claimant must not be able to return to their past work, nor do any other work that exists in the national economy.

 

A disability under Social Security must also last at least 12 months or be expected to result in death.

 

Submitting an application for Social Security Disability benefits is you saying that you are entitled to benefits under the above definition - in other words, that you are not able to work. In signing your application, you swear, under penalty of law, that you are making no false statements on your application.

 

If you apply for unemployment insurance you must also swear, under penalty of law, that you are making no false statements on your application.  Persons who collect unemployment insurance swear that they have looked for work each week, and that, if work was found, they would be ready, willing and able to do it.

Therefore, an unemployment claim is tantamount to saying "I am able to work," while a Social Security disability claim is stating "I am not able to work."  Both statements are made under penalty of perjury, but both cannot be true.

Filing both at the same time is, at the most, fraudulent and, in the least, may affect your credibility to both Unemployment and Social Security.

 

For more information on Social Security Disability benefits please click here.

 

TOPICS INCLUDE:

Independent Living

Employment

Communicating with Others

 

Financial Resources

Patricia Jackson
LFAGW Support Group Leader

Sheri R. Abrams, Attorney at Law
Fairfax Virginia Attorney specializing in Social Security Disability Law

Steven Nissen, M.S., CRC
National Multiple Sclerosis Society- National Capital Chapter
Director of Employment Programs
Director of Operation Job Match (OJM)

WHEN: Saturday, September 12, 2009

TIME: 9:30AM-12:00PM

WHERE: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036

REGISTER: To register for this free seminar please click here.

This Special Topic Seminar is offered as a free service of the LFAGW. All costs of services for patients and families are underwritten by the fundraising efforts of the LFAGW, including the Walk for Lupus Now held in April of each year.

 

Hospitals often give patients a health care power of attorney (health care proxy) form to sign on being admitted.   While signing a generic health care power of attorney form is better than not signing one at all, these documents vary in the amount of care that has gone into their drafting, and having one that is specifically tailored to your needs can be important. 

A health care power of attorney allows you to appoint someone else to act as your agent for medical decisions.  In general, a health care power of attorney takes effect only when you require medical treatment and a physician determines that you are unable to communicate your wishes concerning what that treatment should be.   Appointing someone to serve as your agent helps ensure that your medical treatment instructions will be carried out.

 

While a health care power of attorney serves to appoint an agent to speak for you, you can also use it to give the agent guidance about your medical wishes.  Following are some issues that can be addressed in a health care proxy:

�The name of the person authorized to act for you. It is good to appoint an alternate as well.

 

�Whether or not you want to be kept alive by machines if you are in a persistent vegetative state.

 

�Under what circumstances you want pain medication to be administered.

Whatever choices you make, you should take time to consider your health care wishes before signing a health care power of attorney.  For this reason, signing a generic hospital form may not be a good idea, as many of these forms will not take your individual wishes into account.

Also bear in mind that if you already have a health care power of attorney as a part of your estate plan, the generic form will revoke your more personal health care power of attorney.

A qualified attorney, such as Sheri Abrams, can help you create a health care power of attorney that addresses your particular situation. You can then take this document with you to the hospital and have it made part of your medical records. 

For more information on health care powers of attorney please click here.

 

Fairfax Building," formerly known as the "Jesse Building."

 

 

 

Free Parking (including a Handicapped parking space) is available in the lot behind the building.

 

If you know of someone who could use