SSA Announces Major Cost of Living Increase for SSDI Benefits SSDI benefits are about to go up at an historic rate. The SSA has announced recipients will see an 8.7% increase in their monthly benefit in 2023. It’s the highest increase in forty years. Here’s what it means for you. How the Cost of Living Adjustment Works Every year, the SSA looks at the cost of living and makes changes to SSDI benefits based on the economy. This is called a “cost of living adjustment,” or COLA. For people living on a fixed income, inflation and regular increases in the cost of living can make it really hard to keep up. COLA addresses this problem by changing the benefits as
What You Need to Know About Declaring Bankruptcy in Memphis For so many Memphians, debt can be a huge struggle that affects every area of your life. If you’re behind on debt payments, you may be worried about your home, your car, or your paycheck. It can steal your energy and your joy. Here’s what you need to know about declaring bankruptcy in Memphis and what to expect from the process. What Does It Mean to Declare Bankruptcy? Declaring bankruptcy simply means you file a bankruptcy petition with the courts. You tell the court and your creditors that you can no longer pay back your debts in your current situation, and you need help. Our bankruptcy laws offer a way
Regardless of where you currently stand in the process, you will likely benefit from getting a basic grasp of these fundamental personal injury terms. These terms will likely be referenced during talks with your lawyer and in information you may come across when researching your legal options online. By having built a basic understanding of these terms, you will be able to more confidently navigate the personal injury claims process. Liability Commonly referenced in legal communications as “strict liability”, liability describes the state in which a person or party is responsible for something happening. As an experienced Memphis, TN personal injury lawyer from Darrell Castle & Associates can explain, in the context of personal injury law, if a
When a medical professional fails to treat or care for the needs of a patient the consequences can be devastating. It is generally expected that when you seek medical care, you are to receive care that meets medically acceptable standards. As our resident lawyers here at Darrell Castle & Associates explain, when care providers fail to meet their obligations to standards of care and a patient subsequently suffers harm, it may constitute medical malpractice. If you feel that your injury or illness is a direct result of medical malpractice it is strongly recommended that you speak with a Memphis, TN medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible. Here are a few types of cases where medical malpractice is commonly involved:
Many companies are required to possess workers’ compensation insurance. The sole purpose of this insurance is to protect employees in the event of injury by helping to pay for associated expenses. Unfortunately in some cases, after being injured on the job, the employer of the injured may deny a claim for workers compensation filed by the injured employee. When this happens it can leave you wondering and frustrated. We’ve created a list of the top reasons workers’ compensation claims are denied by employers for your reference: The injury was sustained outside of work. Many claims are denied when you sustained the injury on your own time when away from your place of work. Employers that are given any reason to
Finding the Right Slip and Fall Lawyer in Memphis When you’re injured and need an attorney, it can be hard to find the right lawyer in a sea of options. What should you be looking for in a personal injury firm? And how do you know if they’ll do a good job for you? Here’s all you need to know about finding a slip and fall lawyer Memphis trusts, so you can focus on getting better. Beware the Size of the Firm First keep in mind that with personal injury, the law firm doesn’t get paid unless you do. They fund the entire case until after you win. For that reason, you don’t want a tiny firm without the resources
SSDI Appeal in Memphis: 5 Things You Can Expect If you’ve been denied Social Security Disability, you probably have a lot of questions about the next steps. Here are five things you can expect when you file an SSDI appeal in Memphis. One: The system makes appeals extremely common. The SSA denies the majority of SSDI applications on the first try. If you get denied your SSDI the first time around, you join many thousands of others facing the same fate. That means there’s a whole system in place to help you appeal, including specific paperwork, procedures, and even special judges to help the many people like yourself who have a legitimate disability and need to appeal the decision.
Memphis Foreclosure Laws: Frequently Asked Questions If you’re struggling to pay your mortgage in Memphis, you need to understand Memphis foreclosure laws and how they affect you. Here are some of the most common questions we get about foreclosure in Memphis, including how to stop it in its tracks. What is a foreclosure? Foreclosure is a process that starts when someone doesn’t or can’t make their regular mortgage payments. The banks use your home as collateral on your mortgage loan, so when you can’t pay, the lender has right to take back the house. Most of the time, this means the bank repossesses the house and sells it or auctions it off to someone else. What is a notice of
Infant Opioid Withdrawal: Who Pays? Infant opioid withdrawal has devastated families across America. Now our Memphis infant opioid lawsuit can help some of these families get the help they need and deserve. But how are cases like this going, and how will future families get paid? Who Is Responsible in Infant Opioid Cases? Infant opioid withdrawal happens when a child is exposed to opioids in the womb. Reasons for the exposure vary: Mothers may not realize these drugs harm their unborn children. Even many doctors had no idea of the risks. And many of the impacted mothers struggled with addiction while pregnant. But most importantly, the manufacturers knew. Drug makers admittedly mislabeled the drugs to hide their dangers from doctors
SSDI: Is It Really Working? SSDI can be a powerful tool for workers unable to continue their jobs because of a disability or illness. But does filing for SSDI in Memphis really solve the problems it’s meant to fix? The Way SSDI Is Supposed to Work According to the lawmakers who helped reform SSDI in the 70s, the SSDI program was “designed to provide a positive assurance that the nation’s aged, blind and disabled people would no longer have to subsist on below-poverty-level incomes.” It works as an insurance program. Over the years as you work, you pay a certain amount into the system. This usually comes out of your paycheck in taxes before you ever see it. Then, years