If you want the answer to the question, “how does drug addiction affect social security,” it is important to know that social security benefits do not cover drug addiction. If you are seeking social security benefits because of drug addiction, you will be denied. However, if you are — or were in the past — addicted to drugs, you can still receive benefits. Below are some things you’ll want to keep in mind should you decide to apply for social security benefits while also having a diagnosed drug addiction.
When you file your social security claim, you’ll need to make sure you meet the following requirements:
If you’ve suffered from permanent changes to your physical or mental health due to past drug addiction, you can qualify for social security benefits. Your condition will have to meet certain criteria depending on how it affects you. It’s best to speak with an attorney directly to discuss your specific case.
While you can’t receive social security benefits for your drug addiction, it’s still possible to receive benefits for a different condition while also dealing with drug addiction. However, if the Social Security Administration determines that your condition would go away if you were to stop using drugs, your claim will be denied.
If you’re claiming social security benefits due to a condition caused by past drug use, you’ll need to provide medical evidence through psychiatric reports, names and addresses of your doctors, and a full history of your medical records (including hospitalizations and medications).
If you have additional questions about claiming benefits while dealing with a current or past drug addiction, be sure to speak with an experienced attorney. We can help you determine whether or not your case is likely to qualify and help guide you through the process.
Generally, landlords are responsible for making sure that their tenants’ homes are well-maintained and up to safety regulations. So if your landlord failed to meet these standards, and you were injured as a result, he or she may be accountable. The problem is, with something like carbon monoxide poisoning, there can be some grey area about who’s responsible. So the question is, is your landlord responsible for carbon monoxide poisoning?
If your exposure was caused by something like a broken furnace, pipe, or anything else a landlord is responsible for fixing or maintaining, the landlord is likely to be held accountable — especially if you notified them that there was a problem. If they refuse to fix a problem that you pointed out to them, and you end up getting hurt as a result, they will almost certainly be held accountable.
Things can start getting tricky when the carbon monoxide exposure happens because of an appliance or device that was not broken when you moved in. For example, let’s say you have a gas stove that was properly inspected right before you moved in. Everything was fine with the stove, but a few months later you accidentally damage the stove which causes it to begin leaking carbon monoxide. In this case, your landlord probably won’t be considered responsible.
The same is true if your stove was leaking due to a manufacturing problem. In this instance, you might have a case against the manufacturer instead.
North Carolina law requires that homes have carbon monoxide detectors. If your landlord did not install a carbon monoxide detector and you suffered carbon monoxide exposure, your landlord could be liable.
For many cancer patients, hair loss is a common side effect that comes with chemotherapy. Commonly referred to as “alopecia” in the medical field, hair loss from chemotherapy is supposed to be temporary. However, recently a group of breast cancer survivors found that they were unable to regrow their hair. They were surprised by this, as they were never warned that permanent hair loss was a possible outcome.
It turns out that their permanent alopecia was caused by a chemotherapy drug called “Taxotere.” Taxotere has been approved by the USDA; however, this side effect was not on record. Had the cancer patients known that this drug caused permanent hair loss, they could have chosen an alternative treatment option. One such option would have been Taxol.
It would have been one thing if the manufacturer, Sanofi-Aventis, truly didn’t know that this was a possible side effect; however, evidence shows that they should have known about it as early as 2005. As many as 10-15% of patients who took Taxotere experienced permanent hair loss.
Currently, cases are being filed against Sanofi-Aventis all across the country for permanent hair loss caused by Taxotere. It’s likely that soon these cases will become a part of a multidistrict litigation, which means all of the cases will be handled by one judge.
If you or a loved one has experienced permanent hair loss as a result of Taxotere, don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation. Cases such as these are often time sensitive, so you’ll want to make sure you file your claim before the statute of limitations runs out.
At Oxner + Permar, we’re not only passionate about our clients, we’re also passionate about giving back to our communities. In May, we had the awesome experience of getting to work with Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is an incredible organization that builds homes for families in need.
They work with a variety of volunteers and companies to help get these homes built. So, on May 13th, we spent the weekend helping with a build in Greensboro. Eleven members from our office met up with a team through the Greensboro Bar Association and came together to build this home.
It was such an incredible experience! For one, the family was there working with us to shingle the roof. We had a great time getting to know the family and talking with them about their experiences. Everyone was so kind. Some of the other volunteers were also hoping to seek help from Habitat for Humanity. They’d put their applications for assistance in, but in order to be considered, they needed to log a certain number of volunteer hours with Habitat.
And in the end, we got the roof finished! We had such a wonderful time getting to know everybody, and spending a day giving back to the community. It’s truly a wonderful opportunity to not only lend a hand, but get to meet the people we were helping. We’re looking forward to our next opportunity to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity!
If you’re interested in volunteering for Habitat for Humanity or have any questions about their organization, be sure to visit their website!
After suffering a work-related injury, many workers are left wondering what type of employment they can take up afterward. Many worry that their career opportunities have been drastically reduced as a result of their injury. But this isn’t necessarily the case – in fact, there may be suitable employment available for you! However, it is important to understand what is considered suitable employment, how it can help you, and what should you do if the suitable employment offered to you does not suit your situation.
Suitable employment generally refers to the types of work or activities you can do safely in order to make money. This means taking into consideration your current health, physical and mental abilities, interests, and qualifications. It also looks at the job market and whether there are suitable jobs available given your skillset, experience, and qualifications.
For instance, a person who has back problems wouldn’t be considered suitable for a job as an assembler which requires long hours of standing or lifting heavy objects. On the other hand, someone with a college degree might be considered suitable for a position in customer service that requires interacting with customers over the phone.
Ultimately, determining what’s “suitable” comes down to balancing risk vs reward based on your own unique circumstances and personal preferences. Suitable employment is any employment that fits into those parameters so it allows you to make the most out of life without putting yourself at risk or taking on too much stress.
If you’ve been injured at work, it’s not uncommon to be given work restrictions. Of course, these restrictions are going to limit which jobs you can take on. You may not be ready to return to your old job right away. However, if your employer has an available job within those restrictions, you must go back to work in order to maintain your benefits.
Nonetheless, what if the job your employer offers you is located 50 miles away from where you live? Are you required to make that commute in order to keep your benefits? This situation was called into question in 2012. A man who lived in Tennessee but worked as an iron worker on a construction project in North Carolina suffered a fracture to his lower left leg. He applied for workers’ compensation and began receiving benefits.
While he was healing, he was given work restrictions. His company had no positions that met his work restrictions in North Carolina; instead they offered him a position in Charleston, South Carolina — more than 50 miles away. Despite the fact that he would have been making equal pay to his old job, he turned this position down. The distance made it unsuitable.
Instead, he started working a number of minimum-wage jobs to compensate. When the insurance company found out, they tried to revoke his workers’ compensation because he had refused suitable employment.
In the end, the court ruled that the man was in the right because the need for the job to be within 50 miles is a requirement rather than a guideline. There is no need to work a job that is an unreasonable distance away.
When it comes to determining if the suitable employment offered is right for you, there are a few key factors to consider. First, you should ask yourself if the job is within your physical capabilities and restrictions. If you have any medical conditions or limitations that could be affected by the job, make sure to discuss them with your employer beforehand.
Second, consider whether the job is in line with your career goals. If the job is not related to your field of study or desired profession, it may not be suitable for you in the long run.
Finally, consider whether the job pays enough to cover your living expenses and other financial obligations. If the salary offered is too low, it may not be worth taking on the job.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide if the suitable employment offered is right for you. Make sure to weigh all of your options carefully before making a decision.
