Big Pharma: Profits Over Health & Safety
September 6th, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
Part I- The American Opioid Epidemic Recently the pharmaceutical industries have been on the forefront of investigations launched by not only federal agencies, but by the national media. The Washington Post recently spotlighted, in a 3-installment investigative series, the opioid epidemic and the DEA data that they prevailed upon the courts to release. The data […]
Our Constitution Protects Us from the Government Deciding the Value of Lives
August 2nd, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
What Is The Civil Justice Act? The Civil Justice Act was passed in 2011 by Tennessee lawmakers after special interest groups and their powerful and well-connected lobbyists pushed for an act that they simply labeled as a “cap on damages.” While a “cap on damages” sounds like something to protect one from harm, make no […]
Workers Could Soon Find Social Security Statements in Mailboxes Again
July 26th, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
A bill currently under consideration by Congress would require the Social Security Administration to send annual statements via regular mail even though the information is currently available online. Studies have found that not enough people are accessing their online statements, which leaves many workers uninformed about their retirement and disability benefits. Several years ago, the […]
Social Security Administration’s Use of Consultant Doctor’s
July 12th, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
-UPDATE- GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION’S USE OF CONSULTANT DOCTORS As we previously reported earlier this year in a blog post, a Tennessean newspaper investigative report found that some doctors in Tennessee were denying a high rate of applicants while reaping large sums in fees. The article also illustrated that the […]
Could a Push for Transparency in the SSD Review Process Open Door for Applicants?
June 8th, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
You’ve spent your whole life working, and suddenly you can’t due to illness or injury. You are in pain, your income stream has stopped, yet your medical bills are piling up and you still have a family to support. This is when Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are supposed to kick in, providing a […]
How Social Media Might Affect SSD Benefits
May 20th, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
If you are like an estimated 69% of your fellow Americans, you use at least one social media site. After all, no matter what is going on in your real, day-to-day life, it’s alluring to be able to shape and curate the story that your friends, family, and the public will see. Your Facebook, Instagram, […]
The Dangers of Roundup Are a Big Concern for Middle Tennessee
May 16th, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
Working outdoors, tending flowers and greenery, and breathing in fresh air all day long seems like a recipe for good health — right? Unfortunately, for modern-day nursery workers, landscapers, and even home gardeners, the use of pesticides and herbicides has become a fact of life. These chemicals do a great job keeping hungry insects at […]
Monumental Supreme Court Ruling Exposes TVA to Lawsuits
May 1st, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
In 2013, two fishermen competing in a fishing tournament steered their boat into the Tennessee River. In that same space, workers with the Tennessee Valley Authority were raising a submerged power line. The boat was struck by a conductor, badly injuring the boat’s operator, Gary Thacker, and killing his passenger, Anthony Szozda. Thacker and his […]
Beware the Poison Coming from TN Landfills
April 18th, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
It was a 2008 incident in our state — a coal ash spill at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston plant — that led to a 2015 EPA regulation, called the Coal Ash Rule, that requires energy providers to line their landfills to prevent leakage and to monitor them for groundwater contamination. Coal ash is the […]
Understanding the SSA Consultative Exam
April 1st, 2019 by Attorney John Colvin
Applying for and receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is not an easy process. This is especially true in Tennessee, which leads the nation in denial of benefits. You may assume that if you are disabled and unable to work because of your disability, you will be granted SSDI. Unfortunately, the SSDI application process can […]
