Disability Justice

DISABILITY
JUSTICE
POND LEHOCKY STERN GIORDANO
Disability Update
WINTER 2015
DISABILITY JUSTICE, LLC
800.773.1330
www.disabilityjustice.com
As a Pond Lehocky client, what does
this mean for me?
For you, it’s really just a name change.
Rest assured that your Pond Lehocky
attorney, team and case status won’t
change in any way. You will still
receive the same expert representation
and personal care you have always
gotten from us. Plus, you will have
As we continue to provide exceptional
representation in the courtroom,
we are also fighting on behalf of our
clients in the political arena. We’ll keep
you updated in the coming months
about the progress we’re making in
Washington.
We’ve Moved!
With our new name, comes a new location.
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street | 3rd Floor, Suite 350
Philadelphia, PA 19103
John F.
Kenned
y
Market
Blvd.
Street
»6
Myths about Social Security
Disability Insurance
» SSD History Lesson:
Did You Know?
» Meet Partner
Thomas J. Giordano, Jr.
There are many myths surrounding
SSDI, mostly based on a few highprofile fraud cases that have received
a lot of attention. Some reports imply
that SSDI is a welfare program or
government handout. That is simply
not true. It’s crucial that everyone
understand the truth about SSDI and
how it helps hardworking Americans
during their time of need. People
who can no longer work because of
disabilities should get the benefits that
they’ve paid for during their career.
In line with these developments,
we’re proud to announce that Pond
Lehocky’s Social Security disability
department will now be called
Disability Justice. It will function as
a separate, nationwide organization
dedicated to advocating for disabled
individuals, while delivering the same
top-quality legal representation you
have come to know and expect.
Street
S 19 th
»W
ashington Seminar Stresses
Importance of SSDI and the
Need for Change
Why do we need advocacy for Social
Security disability insurance (SSDI)?
Street
»D
isability Justice Now
Available 24/7 with New
Client Portal: My Case Status
the satisfaction of knowing that
through Disability Justice, we are
now advocating even more forcefully
for your rights and the rights of all
disabled individuals.
S 20 th
» We’ve Moved!
Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano has
experienced tremendous growth over
the past several years. In addition to
representing workers’ compensation
clients throughout Pennsylvania, we
have represented thousands of Social
Security disability clients in all 50
states and Puerto Rico.
Stree
t
» Announcing Disability Justice:
Fighting for Your Rights at the
National Level
Announcing Disability Justice:
Fighting for Your Rights at the National Level
S 21 st
IN THIS ISSUE
Chestn
ut Stre
et
Disability Justice Now Available 24/7 with New Client
Portal: My Case Status
You know you can always reach out to us at Disability Justice
with your questions and issues. Now there is an additional
way to get fast updates about your case: We have launched a
unique, online portal called My Case Status.
DISABILITY
JUSTICE
Go to mycasestatus.disabilityjustice.com to log into My
Case Status. The portal is chock-full of useful resources and
information for our Social Security disability (SSD) clients,
and it’s accessible 24/7 — anytime it’s convenient for you.
At Disability Justice we’re always looking for ways to
make the process of filing or appealing for Social Security
disability easier for our clients.
We hope the portal will be a valuable additional resource
for you as we move toward resolution of your SSD case.
Check the status and progress of your case
See your case timeline and milestones — including
detailed explanations of each step — and easily
submit changes.
Receive communications from your attorney
and legal team
Get messages about important new developments
in your case.
Quickly update your basic information
Change things like your address and phone
number without having to make a phone call.
Send, receive and view medical documents
for your case
Our HIPAA-compliant Document Library makes
the process simple and secure.
Send a secure message to your legal team
You will also be notified of their response in real
time, via email.
Watch videos of frequently asked questions
Video FAQs make the legal process easier to
understand.
Notify us of additional legal needs
View a checklist of other legal services that you
may need help with.
Political Corner:
6 Myths about
Social Security
Disability
Insurance
.................................................................................................
..............................................
Washington Seminar Stresses
Importance of SSDI and
the Need for Change
Partner Thomas Giordano attended the seminar “Social Security Disability Insurance:
What Does It Mean to American Workers and Their Families?” in Washington, DC.
He brought back the key points you need to know:
It’s time to go on the offensive.
There has been too much false information about SSDI, and just being on the
defensive isn’t enough. We need to get the correct messages out about SSDI, not sit
back and allow communication channels to be cluttered with baseless claims.
ost people believe that Social Security must be solvent and strong, but don’t
M
really understand or appreciate the disability program.
Many Americans do not recognize the benefits of the disability
program because of the negative persona it has unfairly developed.
The facts about SSDI must be the main topic of conversation, so that efforts to keep it
strong are in the forefront of lawmakers’ agendas.
We need to help sustain SSDI’s vitality.
SSDI isn’t going broke in 2016, but benefits may be reduced. Historically, funds
have been reallocated from “regular” Social Security, the Old Age and Survivor
Insurance Fund (OASI), to Disability Insurance (DI) to close the gap. We need to urge
lawmakers to act again prior to 2016 to prevent a reduction in benefits for America’s
most vulnerable.
What can you do?
Write to your state lawmakers and urge them to make a change. Find their contact
information here.
Sign our grassroots petition to set the record straight about SSDI here.
SSD History Lesson:
Did You Know?
The requirement that a worker had to be at
least 50 years old to be eligible for disability
benefits was eliminated in 1960.
Do you have a friend or loved one
that requires legal service?
Disability Justice is here to help. We offer legal assistance
for a wide variety of issues. Call us today at 800.773.1300
MYTH #1. SSDI is a
government handout.
Fact: A percentage of every paycheck
you’ve earned has gone into the Social
Security Disability Trust Fund. It’s your
“insurance policy” to use in times of need.
..............................................
MYTH #2. It’s easy to get.
Fact: Nearly 70% of applicants are
denied the first time. The Social Security
Administration sets strict guidelines, so it’s
important to have an experienced disability
lawyer on your side.
..............................................
MYTH #3. Most people with
disabilities are elderly.
Fact: More than one in four 20-yearolds insured for disability benefits become
disabled before retirement age.
..............................................
MYTH #4. People abuse the
system because payments
are high.
Fact: In 2014, the average monthly
payment was only $1,146. Although the
payments are modest, they can make
a huge difference to those unable to
work.
..............................................
MYTH #5. The same number
of people are receiving SSDI
as in past years.
Fact: More people are receiving SSDI.
Baby boomers reached peak disability
age from 1990-2011, and more women
have joined the workforce.
..............................................
MYTH #6. There is a lot of
fraud within the system.
Fact: Less than 1 percent of cases are
fraudulent. The people who truly require
SSDI are the ones primarily benefiting
from the system.
DISABILITY
JUSTICE
POND LEHOCKY STERN GIORDANO
DISABILITY JUSTICE, LLC
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Suite 350
Philadelphia, PA 19103
800.773.1300
www.disabilityjustice.com
Meet Partner Thomas J. Giordano, Jr.
Thomas J. Giordano Jr., is the partner of Disability Justice. Mr. Giordano is admitted to practice
law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and before the United States District Court for the District
of New Jersey. He earned his undergraduate degree, cum laude, in communications studies from
Towson University in Maryland. He received his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law
– Camden. He is an active member of the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Bar Associations, the
Pennsylvania Association for Justice and the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association. He is currently
serving on the Board of Directors for the Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania and is a
sustaining member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives.
Following law school, Mr. Giordano was an associate with a large Philadelphia defense firm where
he represented self-insured and commercial insured businesses in a wide variety of industries, as
well as third party administrators throughout Pennsylvania. He also served as a legal intern for the
Philadelphia District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Under Mr. Giordano’s leadership, Disability Justice has grown to a nationwide
practice. Beginning in 2010 with only two staff members, the company has grown
to more than 100 Social Security disability specialists, including attorneys. Mr.
Giordano is honored to represent thousands of disabled individuals in all 50 states
and Puerto Rico.
Mr. Giordano has frequently been invited by the media, disability organizations and
physicians throughout the tri-state area to speak about Social Security disability
law. Through lectures and seminars, Mr. Giordano educates union members and
employees about their rights to Social Security disability benefits.
Mr. Giordano has been named to the Super Lawyers® Rising stars list since 2006,
an honor only designated to 2.5 percent of attorneys in Pennsylvania. He was
also invited to become a member of The National Advocates Top 100 Lawyers,
an exclusive professional organization of attorneys that demonstrate exemplary
leadership, influence, reputation and performance in their specialty area.