Coye Law Social Security - February 2019

COYE LAW

Chronicle February 2019 Edition

Wade Coye Attorney

Major Income Disruptions

And How They Affect Our Psyches

As I’m writing this article, the government is open again — well, sort of. It’s been reopened temporarily, but there’s no guarantee another shutdown isn't on the horizon. Regardless of what happens after Feb. 15, we still went through the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Regardless of how you feel about a wall, you have to be shocked to hear that more than 400,000 federal employees worked for over a month without pay. These essential workers include many of the folks who keep us safe, including those in the following list:

of their ability. What I am saying is that these disruptions in pay have an impact subconsciously. They hurt your psyche and makes it harder to perform at your best. I think anyone would classify a month without pay as a major income disruption. An event like this has a major effect on your ability to function. Most people aren’t in a position to stop earning for a month. When gainfully employed federal workers are lining up at food banks, something is very wrong. I empathize with the struggles federal workers are dealing with, because I work with people facing income disruptions every day. When you’re injured or struggling to receive benefits, you worry about money. I’ve spoken to people with serious, life-altering injuries who are more worried about their financial ailments than their physical ones. That’s how dire it can be to have your income stream disappear. It affects you, your family, and — when hundreds of thousands experience it at once — the economy at large. Whether the cause of an income disruption is a government shutdown or getting hit by an 18-wheeler, the results are the same. Not knowing how you’ll pay the bills is a scary proposition. Luckily, our federal employers have received their back pay. We help folks who are injured or otherwise indisposed get their version of the same outcome. It’s a responsibility we're honored to take on. -Wade Coye

2,614 ATF agents

54,000 Customs and Border Protection agents and customs offers

16,742 Bureau of Prisons correctional officers

42,000 Coast Guard employees

13,709 FBI agents

3,600 deputy U.S. marshals

As many as 5,000 Forest Service firefighters

4,399 DEA agents

3,600 Weather Service forecasters

53,000 TSA employees

Let me ask you this: How much more effort would you put into your job if you weren’t being paid for it? When you think about the people who ensure terrorists don’t get on an airplane or those who protect our shores and realize they were working with their wages withheld, it paints a scary picture. Financial strain is one of the easiest ways to put somebody under stress. That stress in turn leads to bad decisions. A DEA agent shouldn’t have to think about where their next meal will come from while they’re trying to keep illegal drugs off the streets. Now, I would never imply these workers were phoning it in for the 35 days they were asked to show up for work without any guarantee of when they’d be paid. I firmly believe that the overwhelming majority of these employees did their jobs to the best

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Family Game Night Break the Monotony of Overplayed Board Games!

solving skills a typical chess game offers but with a twist. At the end of each turn, a player fires a small laser beam that bounces off the mirrored chess pieces. If it hits the non-mirrored surface of a piece, that piece is taken by the player. A player wins when the opposing player’s king piece is illuminated. Catan Welcome to the island of Catan! After a long voyage at sea, the people in your expedition compete against other seafarers in building settlements. Enjoy the 45–90-minute game as you and your family build roads, barter resources, and race for absolute Every night, werewolves prowl around the village, and it's up to the villagers to find the werewolf once the sun rises — before it's too late. Each person plays a unique role with different abilities to help find or conceal the werewolf. If the werewolf is caught, the villagers win the game, but if the werewolf manages to escape, the villagers lose. Now you can bring some exciting variety into your family game nights. Don’t miss out on these excellent tabletop games, and most importantly, have fun! supremacy on Catan. One Night Werewolf

Family game night is a time when a family can forget about all of life’s commitments and bond over a good old-fashioned board game. But the old, tattered Monopoly box or worn-out UNO cards can leave something to be desired, and the classics might be getting a little dull. If you’re tired of playing the same board games over and over, it might be time to start looking for ways to change things up. Here are four tabletop games you might not have heard of that are perfect for spicing up family game night. Mysterium Your family will love delving into this cooperative murder mystery game that is a mixture of Clue and Dixit. You can play as the ghost or as one of the mediums who enters the haunting. The ghost player gives each medium a clue or vision about a potential murderer, and the mediums have to guess which person, room, or weapon was used to murder the ghost player. After each turn, the ghost reveals whether each of the mediums’ guesses are right or not. If all of the mediums succeed in guessing correctly by the seventh in-game hour, they work together to find the true murderer. Laser Chess A classic game of chess is a great way to spend an evening, and it just got a little more interesting. Laser chess includes all the problem-

Applying for Disability Benefits? It Pays to Know Your Rights

• Requesting a letter from the SSA about the possibility of benefits and expected payouts

• Applying for benefits free of charge

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability (SSD) programs were created to help people with long-term and permanent disability deal with medical and living expenses. While these programs are extremely beneficial, all an applicant has to do is log onto the website, input their information, and begin to receive money.

• Receiving help from the SSA in obtaining and filling out documents • Enlisting the help of a third party to help with your claim and accompany you to the Social Security office

• Appealing most decisions (some restrictions apply)

• Working with an interpreter if you aren’t comfortable speaking English

There are obvious reasons for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to be wary of applicants, chief among them being the potential to hand out money to unqualified recipients. In fact, roughly two- thirds of claims are denied on first application. This strategy is just a fail-safe measure, as applicants have the right to appeal after an initial denial. The approval rate increases significantly on appeal, which serves as a way to discourage applicants who aren't serious. Of course, the best-case scenario is getting your application approved the first time your apply. There’s nothing you can do to guarantee that will happen, but you increase your chances when you go into the process with your eyes fully open. That means knowing your rights. All of the following are legally permissible for anyone seeking SSD or SSI benefits:

• Using the SSA to help track down your medical records

• Hiring an attorney to represent you

• Viewing/obtaining copies

• Asking for copies of the

about all relevant documents related to your claim

information in your records

Haphazardly going through the application process will only lead to your claim being denied. Conversely, being thorough in your application will prove helpful whether or not you need to go through an appeal. The choice is clear. Call Coye Law Firm today at 407-871-3191 to find out how we can help.

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Get Your FREE Rider VIP Card Hey, motorcyclists! Accidents can happen anywhere at any time. If it happens to you while riding, you may need legal help … fast. Some law firms may make it difficult or expensive to speak with an attorney, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Protect yourself and join my VIP Rider Program today to get quick access to my team and answers to all of your motorcycle accident questions. It’s free! What’s Included: • 24-hour accident hotline • No recovery/no fee for personal injury claims • FREE representation for motorcycle damage claims • FREE legal advice for your motorcycle organization • FREE home and hospital visit Go to CoyeLawVIP.com to sign up today. You will receive your FREE Rider VIP card and a bonus keychain.

The 5-Second Rule Will Make You Sick We live in the golden age of information. The answers to many of life’s questions are just an internet search away. Despite this readily available wisdom, we still have a bad habit of believing health-related myths. Here are three popular health “facts” that are total works of fiction. has been contaminated, bottled water is a safer alternative. However, in most circumstances, bottled water is no healthier than tap water.

Cracking Your Knuckles Causes Arthritis The connection between knuckle-cracking and arthritis came from studies where participants self-reported their habits. Modern medical research has shown these results to be false. The official stance from

The 5-Second Rule Keeps Food Safe Obviously germs and bacteria don’t really wait five seconds to pounce, but snatching your chip off the floor fast keeps most of the germs away, right? Not according to a 2006 study published by Dr. Paul Dawson. He found conclusive evidence that when food comes into contact with a contaminated surface, bacteria are transferred immediately. Even one second spent on tile, wood, or carpet is enough to infest your food with salmonella or another serious contaminant. Bottled Water Is Safer Than Tap Water People seeking out safer water alternatives increases the sales of bottled “spring water” each year. However, bottled water is more expensive, bad for the environment, and, as Dr. Morton Tavel of the Indiana University School of Medicine pointed out, over 50 percent of bottled water is just filtered tap water. The same effect can be achieved with a home filtration system. Of course, if the tap water in your area

the John Hopkins Arthritis Center states, “There is no evidence that cracking knuckles causes any damage such as arthritis in the joints.” Still, chronic knuckle- cracking can lead to reduced grip strength, so you might want to break the habit anyway.

You’ve probably heard these myths for years, but just because something is common knowledge doesn’t mean it is true. With information so easily available, always take the time to research the facts, especially when it comes to your health.

Every month, we give a big shoutout to clients who gave us referrals. This month, we’d like to recognize ...

Coye Law Firm’s Referral All-Stars!

Michael Lawson Lind Van Holmes

Juan Neira Adrienne Wiliams

Kim Robinson

Thank you all for trusting us with the legal needs of your family and friends!

Laugh!

Have a

SPICY SALMON TARTARE

3/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 8-ounce boneless, skinless salmon fillet

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced

1/4 teaspoon lime zest

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chives, minced

1/4 cup cucumber, seeded and finely diced

1 1/2 teaspoons grapeseed or vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Crackers or chips, for serving

1 1/2 teaspoons shallots, minced

1. Place salmon in freezer for 20 minutes to make slicing easier. 2. Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients for mixing. 3. Thinly slice salmon into sheets and cut sheets into strips and strips into cubes. When finished, you should have 1/8-inch cubes. 4. In a mixing bowl, combine salmon with all other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Garnish with chips or crackers and serve.

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PRSRT FIRST-CLASS MAIL US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

Accidents & Injuries Workers’

Probate Family Law Veteran's Disability Long-Term Disability

730 Vassar Street, Suite #300 Orlando, FL 32804

Compensation Social Security Disability

407-871-3811

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T H I S I S S U E

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Would You Work Without Pay?

Bring Variety to Family Game Night

What to Know About Applying for Disability Benefits

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Let’s Retire These Health Myths

Win a Brand New Harley Davidson!

Win a BRAND-NEW Harley Davidson Motorcycle ARE YOU A MOTORCYCLE ENTHUSIAST? ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY? Enter my motorcycle giveaway today! The Grand Prize Winner will receive a 2019 FXDR 114 Harley Davidson Motorcycle valued at over $21,000.00. Just go to BikersWin.com/orlando to submit your entry form before Sept. 30. There's no purchase necessary to enter or win! Keep in mind, you must be 18 or older to enter.

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