By Sarah Mays, Supervising Attorney
Our Public Benefits Unit (PBU) client Melissa (fictitious name) is a 37-year-old woman who suffers from a severe dermatological condition called Hidradenitis Suppurativa, which causes painful, fluid-filled lumps under the skin. She also suffers from degenerative disc disease of the spine, diabetes mellitus, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder. Prior to contacting Community Legal Aid SoCal (CLA SoCal) in January 2025, Melissa had received a letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) explaining that her SSI and SSDI disability benefits, which she had received since 2013, were being ceased as of June 2023 because her medical condition had improved. This cessation of benefits due to alleged medical improvement was surprising to her as, contrary to what SSA determined, she still struggled daily with her severe disabilities, and her condition had only worsened. Accordingly, PBU agreed to represent her at her appeals hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) in May 2025 and thus an intense five-month period of case development began.
On the case
PBU paralegal Esther Gomez, the primary advocate on the case, worked to obtain strong evidence of our client’s disability, including obtaining all medical records such as dermatology, neurology, and mental health records. Our legal team also implemented a strategic hearing plan, requesting that the ALJ call both an orthopedic and a dermatology medical expert to testify regarding the client’s conditions. PBU advocates prepared targeted cross-examinations to ensure that expert testimony accurately reflected the client’s functional limitations.
Importantly, PBU advocates also identified a critical gap in the existing medical record: although Melissa relied on a walker in her daily life, her medical documentation did not sufficiently describe the extent of her use and reliance on the walker for mobility. To address this, PBU developed a detailed impairment questionnaire for Melissa’s treating physician, enabling the doctor to clearly document her mobility limitations and other functional impairments, which proved to be key evidence that strengthened the record ahead of the hearing.
In addition to legal advocacy, PBU coordinated with CLA SoCal’s case management team to provide the client with additional support, including referrals to community resources and mental health treatment providers, ensuring a more holistic approach to addressing her needs.
By the time of the May 2025 hearing, the case had been meticulously prepared. The ALJ specifically noted the strength of Esther’s written legal argument, and the well-supported medical record presented by the PBU team. Based on the persuasive evidence and advocacy, the ALJ determined that Melissa remained disabled and issued a fully favorable decision. As a result of this outcome, she was entitled to approximately $28,000 in backpay and continues to receive ongoing monthly benefits of $1,202.
