Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®

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Welcome to Season 2, Episode 37 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into When Disability Can’t Be Measured: Proving Symptoms That Judges Can’t See.

Not all disabilities are visible on scans, lab results, or routine medical examinations, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make full-time work impossible. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, we explore the challenges of proving disabilities that are difficult to measure objectively and why a documented diagnosis alone may not establish the severity of a claimant’s limitations. We examine how conditions such as narcolepsy, fibromyalgia, and peripheral neuropathy can affect the ability to stay awake, maintain concentration, sustain pace, and meet the demands of full-time work. This episode breaks down the distinction between establishing a medically determinable impairment at Step 2 of the Social Security evaluation process and proving how symptoms limit work capacity. We also discuss how the Social Security Administration evaluates subjective symptoms, why consistent medical documentation matters, and how administrative law judges assess functional limitations when objective testing doesn’t tell the whole story. Whether you’re applying for Social Security Disability benefits, preparing for a hearing, or fighting a denial involving an invisible or difficult-to-measure condition, this episode offers insight into proving the impact of your limitations.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - Is Narcolepsy a Severe Medical Impairment at Step 2 of the Social Security Administration’s Five-Step Sequential Evaluation Test if Medication Makes the Narcolepsy Stable?

Two - How Should a Social Security Disability Judge Evaluate the Subjective Symptoms of Fibromyalgia in Deciding Entitlement to Social Security Disability Benefits?

Three - Proving Peripheral Neuropathy as a Severe Medically Determinable Impairment Under SSA Rules

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.

Have a comment or question? Click this sentence to send us a message, and we might answer it in a future episode.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 36 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into Hidden Gatekeeping Questions in Social Security Disability Cases.

A Social Security Disability case can be determined on more than medical records and diagnoses, as everyday activities, coping strategies, and attempts to keep working can influence how judges evaluate your limitations. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, we explore the hidden gatekeeping questions that can shape a disability claim and why applicants may face unexpected challenges at a hearing. We examine how daily routines, part-time work, sheltered employment, and even emotional support animals can affect how the Social Security Administration views your ability to work. This episode breaks down how ordinary choices and efforts to manage symptoms can be used to question the severity of your limitations, and why understanding these hidden decision points matters. Whether you’re preparing a disability application, attending a hearing, or fighting a denial, this episode offers insight into navigating the evaluation process, avoiding common pitfalls, and showing how your daily struggles affect your ability to sustain full-time work.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - Can Working After the Alleged Onset Date Destroy Your Social Security Disability Claim?

Two - “Woof, Woof!” Should the Use of an Emotional Support Dog Be Considered by a Social Security Administrative Law Judge in Deciding a Person’s Entitlement to Social Security Disability Benefits?

Three - Can Your Daily Coping Strategies Be Used Against You in a Social Security Disability Claim?

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.

Have a comment or question? Click this sentence to send us a message, and we might answer it in a future episode.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 35 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into Invisible Illness, Visible Evidence: Winning a POTS Disability Claim.

Living with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) can make even the simplest daily activities feel overwhelming, but these invisible symptoms can create serious challenges when applying for Social Security Disability benefits. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, we explore how the Social Security Administration evaluates POTS and why claims can be denied when medical records fail to capture the full impact of the condition. We examine how normal test results, an otherwise healthy appearance, and a lack of obvious physical limitations can lead claims examiners to underestimate the severity of symptoms like dizziness, rapid heart rate, fatigue, and difficulty standing. This episode breaks down the medical evidence the SSA looks for, how the Blue Book listings may apply to POTS, and how to avoid common mistakes that can undermine a disability claim. Whether you’re living with POTS, preparing a disability application, or fighting a denial, this episode offers insight into documenting your limitations, building stronger medical evidence, and showing why an invisible illness can have a real impact on your ability to work.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - The SSA's Invisible Illness Blindspot

Two - The Blue Book Listing Trap: Deciphering Section 4.00

Three - Outsmarting the Credibility Traps

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.

Have a comment or question? Click this sentence to send us a message, and we might answer it in a future episode.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 34 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into The “Waxing and Waning” Disability Trap.

Living with a chronic illness means your symptoms can change from one day to the next, but those fluctuations can create serious challenges when applying for Social Security Disability benefits. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, we explore how the Social Security Administration evaluates conditions like multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia, and severe bipolar disorder when symptoms wax and wane. We examine how a few good days can be used to question your ability to work, why isolated moments of improvement don’t necessarily reflect your ability to sustain full-time employment, and how medical records can be misinterpreted. This episode breaks down the importance of documenting symptom flares, understanding the demands of maintaining a job, and building evidence that reflects the full picture of your condition. Whether you’re living with a fluctuating illness, preparing a disability claim, or fighting a denial, this episode offers practical insight into documenting your limitations and showing why your best days don’t tell the whole story.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - The Legal Core: What Does "Sustain" Actually Mean?

Two - Three Strategies to Neutralize the Good Day Trap

Three - Dismantling the Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.

Have a comment or question? Click this sentence to send us a message, and we might answer it in a future episode.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 33 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into The Under-50 vs. Over-50 Reality Check: How the “Grid Rules” Change the Game.

Turning 50 doesn’t automatically change the outcome of a Social Security Disability claim, but it can change how your case is evaluated. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, attorney Krysti Monaco breaks down the medical-vocational guidelines, better known as the “Grid Rules,” and explains why age can become a critical factor in determining whether a claimant is disabled. She examines the shift from “younger individual” to “closely approaching advanced age,” the four key factors the SSA considers, and why two people with the same medical condition can receive very different decisions simply because of their age. This episode explores how age interacts with residual functional capacity, education, work experience, and how those factors affect the Grid Rules. Whether you’re approaching 50, filing a new claim, or helping someone navigate the disability process, this episode offers a practical look at how the Grid Rules work and what evidence matters when age becomes especially important in disability cases.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - The Mechanics of Step 5: What is "The Grid"?

Two - The Four Moving Columns of the Grid

Three - The Age 50 vs. Age 55 Reality Check (Case Examples)

Four - The Two Technical Traps That Break a Grid Defense and the Borderline Age Strategy 

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.

Have a comment or question? Click this sentence to send us a message, and we might answer it in a future episode.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 32 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into Win, Lose, or Appeal: Understanding Social Security Disability Claims.

Winning a Social Security Disability claim isn’t always the end of the journey, and a denial doesn’t always mean it’s over. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, attorney Krysti Monaco breaks down the different paths an SSD claim can take, from winning the initial case to challenging a denial on appeal and, when necessary, taking the fight to federal court. She examines the six critical elements that can make or break a disability claim, what attorneys look for when reviewing an unfavorable decision, and how legal errors can create grounds for an appeal. This episode explores what happens when a case moves beyond the administrative process and into federal court, where the focus shifts to whether the law was properly applied and whether a denial should be reversed or remanded. Whether you’re considering filing for benefits, facing a denial, or already navigating the appeals process, this episode offers a roadmap of what to expect, what can go wrong, and how a case can potentially be revived at every stage.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - What Are the Six Things That Make a Winning Social Security Disability Case?

Two - So, You’ve Lost Your Social Security Disability Case and Are Appealing. How Do the Appeals Council And / Or the Federal District Court Decide to Reverse a Decision Denying Social Security?

Three - What Are the Big Issues for a Federal Judge and a Social Security Disability Feel That Can Result in a Reversal or Remand of Your Denied Social Security Claim?

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.

Have a comment or question? Click this sentence to send us a message, and we might answer it in a future episode.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 31 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into The Hearing Room - Why You Shouldn’t Go Alone.

Walking into a Social Security Disability hearing and simply “telling your story” can feel like enough, especially when you have years of medical records and a compelling account of your limitations. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, attorney Krysti Monaco examines why the hearing process involves more than explaining how sick or injured you are. She explores the critical role of the vocational expert, how transferable skills can affect a claim, and why understanding the grid rules can make the difference for applicants approaching retirement age. This episode examines how an attorney can challenge vocational testimony, why certain abilities may not qualify as transferable skills, and how cross-examination can expose weaknesses in an expert’s conclusions. This episode offers insight into why the truth alone is not enough at a disability hearing, how legal strategy can translate an applicant’s limitations into the language of Social Security law, and why representation becomes important after repeated denials and before an Administrative Law Judge.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - The Statistics of Success 

Two - The Vocational Expert – The "Invisible" Adversary 

Three - The "Zero Out-of-Pocket" Myth 

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.

Have a comment or question? Click this sentence to send us a message, and we might answer it in a future episode.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 30 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into When Work Doesn’t Work: Understanding UWA and Your Benefits.

Trying to return to work while pursuing Social Security Disability benefits can feel risky, especially for applicants who fear that a failed attempt to work will prove they are capable of holding a job. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, attorney Krysti Monaco examines the Unsuccessful Work Attempt (UWA). She explores why attempting to work does not necessarily undermine a disability claim, how the Social Security Administration evaluates unsuccessful work attempts, and why a short-lived job can actually provide evidence of an applicant’s limitations. This episode examines the specific rules that apply in 2026, what makes an attempt to work qualify as unsuccessful, and how the circumstances surrounding a failed return to work can affect a claim. This episode offers insight into how applicants can document unsuccessful work attempts, why trying and failing to work can strengthen credibility, and how a job that ends after only a few months could ultimately play a role in securing disability benefits and back pay.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - The "6-Month Rule" and the 2026 Numbers 

Two - Deep Dive – "Special Conditions" and Subsidies 

Three - The "Evidence Hunt" – Documenting the Failure 

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.

Have a comment or question? Click this sentence to send us a message, and we might answer it in a future episode.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 29 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into “My Doctor Says I’m Disabled”: Why Your Doctor’s Note Might Be Useless.

A simple note from a doctor saying “you’re disabled” may seem like strong evidence in a Social Security Disability case, but it can carry far less weight than applicants expect. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, attorney Krysti Monaco examines one of the most common misconceptions in the disability process: the belief that a doctor’s statement that someone cannot work is the golden ticket to benefits. Together, we explore why these notes fail to establish disability, what Social Security actually looks for when evaluating medical opinions, and how a vague statement can leave an otherwise strong claim unsupported. This episode examines what an effective medical opinion should contain and how treating physicians can provide meaningful evidence that connects medical conditions to specific functional limitations. This episode offers insight into how medical evidence is evaluated, why supportive doctors’ notes are not enough, and what can make a medical opinion truly persuasive in a Social Security Disability case.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - The "Ultimate Issue" - A Legal Minefield

Two - The Hall of Fame of Useless Notes

Three - Building a Better Note - The Language of Function

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.

Have a comment or question? Click this sentence to send us a message, and we might answer it in a future episode.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 28 of Winning Isn't Easy: Social Security ®. In this episode, we'll dive into When Communication Breaks Down: The Invisible Side of Disability (With Guest Erica Thomas).

Communication shapes how we work, connect, and navigate the world, but when those abilities are affected by illness or injury, the resulting challenges may not always be immediately visible. In this episode of Winning Isn’t Easy, attorney Nancy Cavey is joined by Erica Thomas, a Speech-Language Pathologist whose work bridges healthcare and law, to examine how communication and cognitive impairments can intersect with disability and the legal system. Together, they discuss what these impairments can look like in everyday life, how they are evaluated in disability cases, and why they are misunderstood or overlooked. This episode offers insight into the challenges that can affect communication, the complexities of assessing them, and the important role these impairments can play when disability claims are evaluated.

In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:

One - The World of Forensic Speech-Language Pathology and Disability

Two - Uncovering Hidden Communication Challenges

Three - Navigating Disability Claims and Clearing Up Misconceptions

Whether you're a claimant, or simply seeking valuable insights into the disability claims landscape, this episode provides essential guidance to help you succeed in your journey. Don't miss it.


Listen to Our Sister Podcast:

We have a sister podcast - Winning Isn't Easy: Long-Term Disability ®. Give it a listen: https://wiedisabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com


Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

LINK TO YOUR RIGHTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: https://mailchi.mp/caveylaw/your-rights-to-social-security-disability-benefits

FREE CONSULT LINK: https://caveylaw.com/contact-us/


Need Help Today?:

Need help with your Social Security Disability claim? Have questions? Please feel welcome to reach out to use for a FREE consultation. Just mention you listened to our podcast.

Review, like, and give us a thumbs up wherever you are listening to Winning Isn't Easy. We love to see your feedback about our podcast, and it helps us grow and improve.

Please remember that the content shared is for informational purposes only, and should not replace personalized legal advice or guidance from qualified professionals.