Author Archives: Jason Kobal
Feds Mull Key SSDI Changes
Proposed changes would end the over-50 presumption and expand the Step Five (can the applicant do any other work) inquiry. “The Trump administration does not think that simply being 50 years old is a disability,” said a senior administration official who would speak only on condition of anonymity. In the 1970s, when the current… Read More »
Can I Get Disability for Depression?
You can get disability for depression, or almost anything else, if a qualified medical condition keeps you from working. Contrary to popular myth, Social Security Disability is not limited to “physical” conditions, such as a bad knee, a bad back, or cancer. Mental conditions, like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, can be just as disabling… Read More »
Fatal Head-On Crash in Pasco County
A 21-year-old man is dead after a November 9, 2025 head-on crash that also seriously injured another person. According to officials, the Brandon man failed to negotiate a curve in the road east of County Squire Lane. That’s when the Hyundai Elantra went into the westbound lane, hitting the Chevy Equinox nearly head-on. Troopers… Read More »
Overcoming Defenses in Workers’ Compensation Matters
Generally, workers’ compensation benefits, mostly medical bill payment and lost wage replacement, are no-fault benefits. Victims must only prove their illnesses or injuries were work-related to obtain full benefits. However, a few limited defenses apply in a few cases. Insurance company lawyers stretch these defenses as far as possible and use them as an… Read More »
Lost Wages and Workers’ Compensation: What You Need to Know
Most families live hand to mouth. Most people cannot pay cash to cover a $400 emergency expense. Since most households walk such a fine line between making ends meet and falling behind, even a temporary income disruption is usually devastating. The devastation has emotional effects as well as financial ones. Money stress increases physical… Read More »
What You Should Know About IMEs in Florida
The first thing you should know about an IME in Florida is what this acronym stands for. Independent Medical Examinations are part and parcel of many workers’ compensation claims in many jurisdictions. IMEs are especially critical in states like Florida that don’t allow most job injury victims to choose their own doctors. The primary… Read More »
Fla. Court Rules on ‘Voluntary’ Resignations in Workers’ Comp Settlements
If a disabled worker can still perform essential job tasks, the employer cannot make a workers’ compensation settlement contingent on the worker’s “voluntary” retirement, according to the Middle District of Florida. The Facts After a trucking company driver hurt his left knee at a terminal, he underwent an MRI of the knee. Based on… Read More »
Can I Get Disability After a Car Accident?
You can definitely get disability after a car accident, especially if you have a listed condition and meet other qualifications, mostly the severity of the disability and its effect on your ability, or rather inability, to work. You can also get disability after a car accident if you have a non-listed condition, such as… Read More »
Mental Illnesses and Social Security Disability
Mental illnesses often have a profound impact on a person’s ability to work, maintain relationships, and carry out everyday activities. So, the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) gives disability benefits to individuals whose mental health conditions prevent them from engaging in SGA (substantial gainful activity). Understanding how mental illnesses fit into the Social Security… Read More »
Officials Anticipate Another Workers’ Comp Rate Decrease
In September 2025, the National Council on Compensation Insurance, the leading authority in this area, recommended a 6.9 percent rate decrease for 2026. The NCCI’s proposed reduction is a recommendation only. Rates are set by the Florida Commissioner of Insurance, usually after a public hearing. “The workers compensation system remains healthy. For the last… Read More »
