Social Security Disability Revealed: 

Why it's so hard to access benefits and what you can do about it

Table of Contents:

PART 1: An Introduction to Social Security Disability

1. Why I Decided to Write This Book

2. How I Hope You Will Use This Book

3. Understanding Social Security Disability

4. The Initial and Reconsideration Levels of Review

5. Why You Should Hire a Representative

PART 2: The Five-Step Sequential Evaluation Process

6. Step Zero

7. Step 1

8. Step 2

9. Step 3

10. Step 3.5

11. Step 4

12. Step 5

PART 3: Hearing and Appeals

13. Administrative Law Judges

14. Attorneys and Other Staff 

15. The Timeline of a Typical Case

16. The Hearing

17. The Vocational Expert’s Testimony

18. The Grid Rules – And How Judges Get Around Them

19. After the Hearing

20. The Appeals Process

PART 4: What’s the Best Evidence for Your Impairment?

21. Discussing Medical Evidence from a Lawyer’s Perspective

22. Visible Physical Impairments

23. Non-Visible Physical Impairments

24. Mental Health Conditions with Potential Symptom Management

25. Permanent Mental Health Conditions

26. Drug Abuse and Alcoholism (DAA)

PART 5: Uncommon Situations

27. Child Claimants, Deceased Claimants, and Widow Claimants

28. When Benefits End

29. Firing Your Representative

PART 6: Improving the Outcome for You and for Everyone Else

30. The Outcome is Largely Beyond Your Control

31. Get Ready for a Fight

32. Don’t DIY Your Disability Claim

33. Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

34. Fixing the System

GLOSSARY