Let me tell you WHY you can’t run DIRTY with Social Security
For those of you who may be a little perplexed by the phrase “RUN DIRTY”, allow me the opportunity to clarify. “Running dirty” is a phrase to denote doing something illegal, wrong, or against the policies and procedures. I use this phrase whenever I’m talking about people who are trying to be sneaky and get Social Security Benefits at the same time. I, also, use this phrase whenever I’m talking about people who decide to WITHHOLD evidence from Social Security in an attempt to make their case better.
Interestingly enough, I’m surprised by the number of people who TRY and then ACT SURPRISED when they get caught. If you’re thinking about ‘RUNNING DIRTY’, here’s a few things that you need to consider:
1) The PAPER gets you EVERY TIME!! Most people don’t realize that part of the reason Social Security has you fill out so many papers is that they are checking for consistency. They want to ensure that you are not changing your story up every time.
2) The MEDICAL RECORDS get you EVERY TIME! People forget that Doctors and Nurses are very diligent and detailed in their record keeping. So you need to be aware of the fact that if you tell your doctors something that relates to your health condition (like the fact that your back hurts from working all day! OOPS, you didn’t tell Social Security), this information may appear in your records.
3) The LABS / X-RAY / TESTS don’t lie! Now, if you KNOW you’re doing illegal drugs and you go to the hospital, why would you still lie? They take toxicology information on you through labs and this stuff will always come forth. Also, you can lie about alot of things but your tests (X-Rays, MRI, Labs) will typically provide the actual results for more of your situations.
4) You don’t know WHAT your 3d parties will say! You typically have to provide the names of individuals who can speak about you and your condition. Contrary to HOW hard you try, you don’t really know WHAT they will say when Social Security talks to them.
5) The POWER of the FEDS! Do you have ANY idea of the number of systems the Social Security Administration has access? If you go to jail, they know! If you owe child support, they know! If you return to work, they know! There’s a lot of systems that alert Social Security to things that relate to your Social Security case so you need to be aware.
Social Security is a complicated system and since you’re applying for Federal Benefits, it’s important to be mindful of the fact that your actions may have an impact on your case. If you’re deciding to take some action that you KNOW you’re not supposed to do, be mindful! It may CATCH you in the end.
Be careful when YOU are NOT the client
I know it’s your loved one. They look up to you. They trust you. They rely on you. SO when the time comes to seek legal counsel, they turn to you to recommend someone. They turn to you to be there with them when they go through the legal process. Unfortunately, some people (let’s call them 3d parties) don’t really appreciate the fact that they are NOT the client.
When you find yourself in the position of being a 3d party, you gotta keep in mind that you don’t have the same priviledges, rights, and expectations as a client. You aren’t going to get the same level of deference. So before you decide to swell up and call the attorney’s office going OFF, here’s a few things you need to think about if you’re a 3d party:
1) The CLIENT must give you access. Contrary to popular belief, just because you came with the client to an appointment does NOT guarantee automatic access to information. It is important to understand that the client has to give you permission.
2) A 3d party may break privilege. The power behind attorney / client privilege is based on the ability for the client and attorney to confer WITHOUT worrying about that information being obtained by outside sources. However, if you as a 3d party, are there, you risk the possibility of that communication not being privileged because of another person being there.
3) The CLIENT is the final decision maker. I know you believe that you know what’s best for your friend but in the end, the client is the person who must make the decision regarding their case.
I know you love your friends or your family. However, when they go to hire an attorney, this decision may have a significant outcome on their life. It is important that as a 3d party, you can help your loved one most by being there for them and on not trying to impede the process.
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