Hughes Hubbard Helps Disabled Man Win SSI Appeal

Hughes Hubbard & Reed helped a 34-year-old man suffering from severe intellectual and psychological disabilities win an appeal for retroactive and current Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

The Social Security Administration initially denied the client's February 2012 SSI benefits application. After the Legal Aid Society referred the case, Hughes Hubbard filed a memorandum of law on the claimant's behalf and represented the client at a hearing before Administrative Law Judge Gitel Reich of the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review on June 23, 2015.

On July 15, 2015, Judge Reich made a fully favorable determination of the client's disability, citing the combination of a severe intellectual disability, schizoaffective disorder and worsening hearing loss. In addition, Judge Reich held that the client had been disabled since his initial 2012 application, which entitled the client to retroactive benefits. The determination of the client's disability was also vital because it enables the client to pursue other forms of public support, particularly housing assistance.

Stephen Fowler, Debbie Placid and summer associates Elizabeth Beitler and Andrew Bouriat, under the supervision of Sarah Cave, worked on the case.