Parents of children with disabilities have always had unique challenges to face. Upon first discovering their child has a physical or intellectual limitation, they must come to accept that fact and then learn everything they can about the disability and to what extent their child is affected by it. Then come myriad other issues, such as educational needs, additional medical and therapy expenses and the possibility that one parent will need to take time off work to care for the child. 

In decades past, this journey was often a very lonely one for parents, especially those living in less-populated areas. They might not have known any other parents going through the same experience, and their children might have felt socially isolated for the same reasons. Professional resources were also harder to come by, making it more difficult for families to weather a disability diagnosis. But new figures released by a group of leading pediatricians suggests the landscape may be changing for families with disabled children.  

People across the country, including right here in North Carolina, need Social Security benefits when they are disabled and cannot work. A lot of media attention has been given to the Social Security system lately, including the costs of running the system, and who should qualify for benefits. While some people debate whether these benefits should even exist, those who need the benefits know that they are a lifeline.

One worker in another state once owned a tree cutting business. He worked hard at his job, but eventually suffered from severe back and neck pain, probably as a result of his very physical job. He wasn't able to continue the business that he put so much work and effort into, but he took a job working at a retail store. However, herniated discs in his neck and back led to so much pain, he could barely move.

For all the issues involving Social Security disability insurance (SSDI), one of the more annoying "complaints" raised is that vast numbers of the unemployed have flocked to SSDI after unemployment benefits were exhausted. Yes, there is a correlation between recessions and an increase in applications for SSDI, but correlation is not causation, and the fact remains that somewhere around 70 of all applications for SSDI benefits are denied by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

That is why we recommend you work with us, because the SSDI application is very demanding. It is not enough that you have some disabling medical condition that has left you unable to work. You have to prove by medical evidence that you have the condition, and that there are no other jobs you can do.

When someone files for Social Security disability benefits, he or she will not always receive a positive determination on the first attempt. There is no need to give up, however, if the first response received denies benefits. In such cases, individuals may file an appeal to contest the original decision.

After an appeal is filed, a hearing is held before an administrative law judge. Recently, the Social Security Administration reported that it had reached its goal of employing at least 1,500 such judges to handle Social Security disability appeals.