Social Security statements: they’re back and they’re important

Oct 14 2014

They used to arrive in the mail about three months before each birthday. You would open the envelope from the Social Security Administration and see the amount you were on target to be paid after your retirement. About five years ago, the mailed Social Security statements stopped arriving at your Denver home. Last month, however, the SSA started mailing out statements again. When you get yours in the mail, it’s wise to pay attention to it, a financial planner writing for Forbes states. It can help you understand your benefits in not only retirement, but also if you become disabled…

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Aphasia: among the list of disabilities given a compassionate allowance

Oct 10 2014

Social Security Disability programs provide monetary assistance to disabled individuals who are unable to work. There are many different conditions that are disabling. Aphasia is one. Social Security Disability programs provide monetary assistance to disabled individuals who are unable to work. What constitutes a disability, however, is wide ranging. Disabilities can be medical conditions, illnesses, and injuries. Some are more inconspicuous than others, such as aphasia. Understanding aphasia Aphasia is a medical condition that affects a person’s ability to comprehend language and communicate. It typically manifests after a brain injury such as a stroke, but the condition can also instigate…

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A Denver workers’ comp law firm devoted to helping you recover

Oct 08 2014

No matter how careful you are, no matter how knowledgeable, and no matter how experienced, an on-the-job injury can happen. Here in Colorado, most employees are covered after a workplace accident, regardless of whether it was their fault or not, and regardless of whether it took place in a Denver high-rise, a construction site or on a factory floor. Even employers with workers’ comp insurance will sometimes attempt to deny a claim, however. Or the insurance company will object to the claim. As we have written about recently, this puts the injured worker in a spot where they have to…

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What do I give up when I represent myself in a workers’ comp case?

Oct 04 2014

Sometimes in life, all we need in order to make a good decision is to have information. Then we can ponder our options and make the choice that is most favorable. Bad decisions are often made when we simply don’t have enough information about the available choices. Take for instance, a Colorado workers’ compensation case. When a claim is denied, you have a couple of choices to make: do you appeal? If you do appeal, do you do so with an attorney or on your own? And if you do it on your own, will you give up any benefits?…

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A right to Social Security Disability appeal representation

Sep 24 2014

Some things in life are unnecessarily complicated. Many people would agree that the law is one of those things. There’s no doubt that the terms and language used can be difficult for the layperson to understand whenever they find themselves dealing with an aspect of the legal system. Though few people think of Social Security Disability as being part of the legal system, the fact is that an appeal of a denial of benefits is held before an administrative law judge. Fortunately, everyone who goes through the appeals process has the right to legal representation at those hearings.  The Social…

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When it comes to an SSDI claim, the sooner the better

Sep 17 2014

Just like the referee in a Denver Broncos game, the Social Security Administration keeps it eyes on rules, regulations and the clock. The clock begins ticking the moment a person applies for Social Security Disability benefits, which means that if the claim is approved, benefits will be paid retroactive to the application date. So the sooner a person files an SSDI claim after becoming disabled, the better. The clock is also crucial if that initial benefits claim is denied. Though an applicant has the right to appeal a denial with the assistance of an SSDI attorney, the applicants has only…

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New rule for workplace injuries

Sep 15 2014

Denver construction sites are where heavy materials such as steel beams and rebar are moved by powerful pieces of equipment. Unfortunately, worksite accidents can happen suddenly and without warning. A piece of machinery can crush a limb or materials can fall and badly hurt a worker. Some of the worst construction injuries are amputations. These are devastating losses, both physically and emotionally, often leaving a skilled construction worker unable to continue in their chosen field. An amputation can also require multiple surgeries in order to address all the medical issues that arise from these severe wounds. Many Colorado construction workers…

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Report: construction companies dodging workers’ comp payments

Sep 10 2014

It is perhaps ironic that the federal government enabled construction companies to dodge federal regulations as the firms hauled in federal contracts paid for by U.S. taxpayers. According to an investigative report by McClatchy newspapers, the 2009 stimulus that pumped hundreds of billions of dollars into a faltering U.S. economy also poured contracts and checks into the hands of construction companies that illegally misclassified workers as independent contractors. The widespread misclassification enabled companies to dodge payments on things such as mandated workers’ compensation insurance, unemployment insurance, and the employer’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes. The result for workers…

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Temporary workers face higher risk of on-the-job injury

Sep 10 2014

One of the fastest-growing employment opportunities in the U.S. come from temporary job placement agencies. According to the Labor Department, there are 2.7 million temp workers in the U.S., the most in the nation’s history. Since the official end of the Great Recession, one-fifth of all new job growth has comprised of temp work, many of which are blue-collar jobs in factories and warehouses. At any given factory, about 5 percent of the workforce is temporary workers. This can lead to a variety of job issues, not the least of which is the risk for injury. According to ProPublica research,…

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Which Denver workers are most at risk of asbestos exposure?

Sep 03 2014

There are a number of jobs in the Denver area in which risks are a part of the occupation. The men and women who work on high-rise construction, for instance, understand the risks before they begin working. They know that their health and even their lives can depend on being careful and precise when they assemble skyscrapers. While those kinds of construction jobs have obvious risks, other construction workers face dangers as well. For instance, those workers involved in demolition projects can be exposed to asbestos used to build structures or used in insulation and other materials. That exposure can…

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