Social Security Representative Cases

Our representative Social Security cases include:

• HIV/AIDS - Our client, a 60-year-old man, was diagnosed with HIV more than a decade earlier; it was considered under good control but he suffered from the side effects of his medication and could no longer do his previous heavy manual labor. We won his case at hearing.
• Brain Tumor - Our client, a 20-year-old man, had a brain tumor but was denied initially.
  We submitted additional evidence and argument that won him benefits at the Reconsideration stage.
• Epilepsy - Our client, a 32-year-old man, suffered from Grand Mal seizures that were poorly controlled. He had a prior history of heavy alcohol use. We won his case at hearing.
• Fibromyalgia - Our client, a 52-year-old woman, suffered from Fibromyalgia, with symptoms of "foggy brain", fatigue, poor memory, plus joint pain. Her claim was denied initially and on reconsideration. We did not succeed at her first hearing but pursued her case through appeals council and federal district court, where we won a remand. We won her case at her second hearing in 2011, with benefits awarded back to 2007.
• Traumatic Brain Injury - Our client, a 48-year-old veteran, suffered a traumatic brain injury during a tour in Iraq, as well as PTSD and depression. He was 100% rated by the VA but was denied initially and at reconsideration. We won his case at hearing.
• Asthma - Our client, a 49-year-old veteran, suffered from severe asthma and was 100% rated by the VA. He was denied initially and at reconsideration. We did not succeed at his first hearing but pursued his case through appeals council, where we won a remand. We won his case at his second hearing in 2011, with benefits awarded back to his original date of onset.
• Arthritis, Sleep Apnea, Obesity - Our client, a 41 year-old woman, suffered from arthritis in knees, obstructive sleep apnea and obesity. After denial and at reconsideration, we won her case at hearing.
• Bipolar - Our client, a 42-year-old woman, suffered from mood swings, agitation, and difficulty with concentration and had a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. After she was denied initially, we submitted evidence and arguments at Reconsideration and were able to win her benefits.
• Interstitial cystitis - Our client, a 23-year-old woman, suffered from severe interstitial cystitis and Bipolar Disorder. After denial initially and at reconsideration, we were able to win her benefits at hearing.
• Lupus - Our client, a 35-year-old woman, was diagnosed with Lupus. She was denied initially and at reconsideration but we were able to win her benefits at hearing.
• Heart Disease - Our client, a 43-year-old man, had ischemic heart disease and was homeless. Nevertheless he was denied initially and at reconsideration. We were able to win him benefits with an On-the-Record Request before hearing.
• Parkinson’s Disease - Our client, a 50-year-old woman with symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, was denied initially and at reconsideration. We won her case at hearing.
• Stout v. Commissioner (2006) - We won a decision for a social security claimant at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals establishing that a social security judge cannot ignore the testimony of claimant's witnesses and that the government's lawyers can't make up new arguments on appeal.
• Gamble v. Chater (1995) - We won the first decision granting Social Security benefits to an amputee who could not afford a new prosthesis.

Swanson, Thomas, Coon & Newton has represented clients in their efforts to secure social security disability benefits for twenty-five years.