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Social Security Benefits Scheduled to Increase by 1.7% Next Year

The government announced today that social security benefits are set to go up by 1.7% next year, which will reflect…

Melvin Cook

Grandparents’ Rights in Utah

The United States Supreme Court, in the case of Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000) seemed to limit grandparent’s rights,…

Melvin Cook

Common Law Marriage in Utah

Utah Code Section 30-1-4.5 sets forth the grounds for a common law marriage in Utah. Common law marriage is also…

Melvin Cook

Symptoms, Exertional and Nonexertional Impairments in SSDI and SSI Cases

SSR 96-4p Summary and Commentary Social Security’s definition of disability is the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity…

Melvin Cook

Troxel v. Granville and Parental Rights

I have recently posted about grandparents’ rights and the U.S. Supreme court case of Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57…

Melvin Cook

Visual Field Loss in Social Security Disability Blindness Cases

Social Security regulations provide for a finding of statutory blindness based on visual field loss when the widest diameter of…

Melvin Cook

Significant Job Numbers in the National Economy

The Trimiar case One thing I enjoy about working on disability cases is learning about the kinds of work that…

Melvin Cook

Medical Opinions on Issues Reserved for the Commissioner in SSDI and SSI Cases

SSR 96-5 Summary and Commentary Medical opinions are very important in social security disability cases, especially those from doctors who…

Melvin Cook

Unmarried Biological Father’s Rights

Under Utah Law, unmarried biological fathers need to act early and often to establish a relationship with their child and to…

Melvin Cook

The Opinions of “Non-Acceptable” Medical and Other Sources and the Disability Decisions of Other Agencies in Social Security Disability Cases: Social Security Ruling 06-03p.

Under Social Security regulations, the term “medical sources” refers to both “acceptable medical sources” and “non-acceptable medical sources.” See Social…

Melvin Cook