Who Dances with Whom . . . and When? Saturday, Apr 26 2008 

The “New” Rules for a New Era

In our ever-changing world, many traditions are falling by the
wayside. For the bride who has dreamed of having a “Traditional
Wedding,” she can still have it, if she’s willing to concede
that some elements of the fairy-tale may need to be modified.
The most obvious place where concessions need to be made will be
the dance structure.

Once upon a time, knowing who danced with whom, and in what
order, at wedding receptions was easy:

* bride and groom;

* bride with father-in-law / groom with mother-in-law;

* bride with father / groom with mother;

* ushers and bridesmaids join in during the last one listed
above; and

* after a minute or so of the entire wedding party dancing, the
rest of the wedding guests are welcome to dance.

Now, with today’s blended families, and in the case of second
(or subsequent) marriages, these rules are not as easy to adhere
to for some people. The parents of the bride or groom, or both,
may be remarried. The new betrothed may have children, or one or
both parent(s) of the bride or groom may be absent so that they
may not be able to follow the traditional rules. In that case,
establish the dance structure according to the unique situation.

For example, when I married, I was a single mother and my
parents were absent. Obviously then, the bride with father, and
groom with mother-in-law dances weren’t remotely possible. So,
after the bride and groom dance, the groom’s father cut in and I
danced with my new father-in-law, while the groom invited his
mother to dance. At the point where I would have been dancing
with my own father had he been there, my new husband and I
invited my son (a toddler then) to dance with us. The groom
picked up his new step-son, and the three of us danced together
to a song that had special meaning for the three of us.

At the point where the ushers and bridesmaids joined us, my
groom and I danced together again, and my son invited a cousin
to dance with him. He did this of his own accord, assuming that
because all the other people in the wedding party were dancing,
he should be too. It was all the sweeter because he hadn’t been
directed to do it, though we wished we’d thought of it ourselves!

Perhaps you have step-parents you love, and that you’d like to
have included in the special dances. Feel free to do so. If
either the bride or groom has more people to dance with than his
or her partner, then the one with the lesser amount can invite
others of the wedding party to dance. For example, if the bride
will be dancing with a step-father and a step-father-in-law, but
there are no equivalents for the groom, he can invite the maid
of honor to dance, and then a bridesmaid.

The signal for the remaining guests to join will be when the
bride and groom reunite and the ushers and bridesmaids dance
together.

You can also have the band or disc jockey announce the dance
order. Have him or her say something like, “After the bride and
groom have shared their special dances with each other and with
loved ones, the ushers and bridesmaids will join the dancers. At
that point, the bride and groom invite all of you to join them
on the dance floor.”

If necessary, ask that one more announcement of invitation is
made once the ushers and bridesmaids are on the floor. Or, the
bride and groom can go out amongst the guests and choose new
partners, preferably members of the new spouse’s family.

Whatever the case may be, you’ll find the pattern that suits you
best, and your traditional wedding will still maintain the
formality and old-world etiquette you were striving to achieve.

Magic Show Tips Thursday, Apr 24 2008 

For magic enthusiasts, what could be more fun than being able to
organize a magic show of their own, right? However, it might not
be an easy task to prepare for one magic show that will bewilder
your friends and other speculators. Don’t fret. Here are some
tips and suggestions that might help one in prepping for one fun
magic show that will make all the audience spellbound:

Prepare the Stage

A magic show will not be as exciting if it is done in a place
where there’s no stage. One must set up a stage that could
consist of either a piano bench or a small table with a blanket
or table cloth.

Drapes help a lot in seeing to it that the audience don’t get a
glimpse of your activities before performing a trick. Have a
certain spot where all your tricks can be done.

Prepare the Props

A magician will have a hard time amazing his or her audience
without the help of various magic props. Gather all the
paraphernalias that will make the magic show successful
beforehand to avoid scrambling around at the eleventh hour.

The usual props used by magicians include playing cards, hats,
animals, a handkerchief, etc.

Prepare for the Tricks

What’s a magic show without magic tricks? Practicing the tricks
well before the magic show will make one magician less doubtful
on whether his or her magic show will be a hit or not. Here are
some rules that a magician should follow when doing a magic show:

1. Don’t kiss and tell a trick.

Magic is made to amaze the audience. Telling how to do a trick
will spoil that purpose. A trick that is told how to do will
lose its mystery.

2. Trick only once.

When a trick is done for the first time, the audience will be
very amazed. Doing it twice will make the audience predict what
will happen and the risk of figuring the trick out is not
impossible.

3. Practice like there’s no tomorrow.

When one is not that comfortable with a certain trick, it is not
advisable to perform it. Practicing in front of friends or other
people before the show in front of an audience will help a lot
in making the magic show successful.

4. Be or look confident.

Acting nervous will make you a laughingstock. When you are going
to be the man of the show, it won’t help to be stammering and
trembling whild performing the magic tricks. Practicing will
help you in this arena.

Christmas Gifts - How To Get Massive Discounts & Give Away Christmas Gifts For 12 Days of Christmas Thursday, Apr 24 2008 

Christmas is the time of giving that comes once a year.Whether we are the young ones or the parents or grandparents, no matter where we live in, Christmas is the time when the meaning of giving in love is felt everywhere.

It is during Christmas that we dig deep into our pockets to give gifts and presents to our loved ones, and to friends and to missions, to spread the goodwill and the cheer.

For those who have more, we give away more. To those who have less and are financially challenged, we still find ways to give whatever we can, and feel good in the process. We can still give away a smile, give away our time to help someone in need and just give away our prayers for the well being of someone who need a touch from God.

As a good steward of our money, we would want to stretch our dollar during Christmas by deciding on the best gifts that we would like to give away, and obtaining them at the best prices. What can we actually give away, and where can we get these desired christmas gifts at heavily discounted prices?

We would truly be blessed if we can give away gifts for 12 days of Christmas! In any case, here are 12 wonderful gift ideas that you can think of to give away:

1. Travel Packages - Suggestion : Get a travel and tour package for your parents, or your grandparents. Locate the best travel package with board and lodging. Put a big wide smile on your parents or grandparents” faces. Don’t worry- it won’t burn a big hole in your pockets, as I will show you how to do it just a while later on.

2. Condo Vacation - Suggestion : Give away a condo vacation for your parents or grandparents or your grown up children to allow them to get away from it all- and to recharge their batteries, and be refreshed from a short holiday stay. Many condos’ are well located, and have facilities that please!

3. Cruises - Suggestion : Give a surprise cruise holiday to your spouse or girlfriend or boyfriend! Enjoy the high seas or the short river cruise, complete with lunch or dinner. Feel the sea breeze blowing against your face, and enjoy the tranquility of the wide expanse of the sea, and be close to Nature.

4. Airline Flights - Suggestion : Give away a flight ticket for that much talked about flight to somewhere that your children have been talking about but cannot afford. See the faces of your children lit up when they get the flight tickets.

5. DVD’s - Suggestion : Buy a set of DVD’s with exciting and entertaining music or movies to your loved ones. DVD’s have a way to unite the family and keep everyone together to watch a DVD movie together or to enjoy the music.

6. Movie Tickets - Suggestion : Get a pack of movie tickets that your loved ones can use even long after Christmas is over. This gift is especially well received for those who love movies and music, and who doesn’t like to go to movies, after all?

7. Dining - Suggestion : Book a dinner at a cosy or romantic place for your loved ones, whether it is a good friend or associate whom you wish to thank for a favor, or for someone special in your life whom you wish to show special appreciation for during Christmas! Be creative - go Chinese, go Italian, go Lebanese, go fusion food - scintillating menus’ and unforgettable food!

8. Magazines - Suggestion : Buying a magazine subscription will ensure you will be remembered for 12 months of the year if it’s a monthly magazine. Isn’t that a lovely thought?

9. Softwares - Suggestion : There are lots of very useful softwares for the home user. Get a Will-Maker that someone can use to generate his or her own will. Get a software game that the children can enjoy playing. Give a software, like an anti-virus software that your friend will find useful and productive. The range of softwares is limitless!

10. MP3 Player - Suggestion : Give away a MP3 Player. These gadgets are very handy and trendy and useful to the younger ones. Give away a MP3 Player for the someone special who may benefit from listening to a MP3 Player while jogging, or doing something else or learning a new language.

11. VoIP International Calling - Suggestion : Do you know someone who is an internet marketer? The VoIP international calling is the perfect gift to let him network all around the world for free or at very low cost. Give this gift to help him expand his business worldwide. Low cost gift but brings in long term lasting benefits!

And finally,

12. Books on Love, Dating and Marriage - Suggestion : For the teenager, give a book on love, dating and marriage. Let the younger set learn these important things. If there is someone out there who needs just some help to liven up their marriage, give them a book or a ebook to help them along.

These are the 12 special Christmas gift ideas that you can gain inspiration to act upon.

But aren’t these gifts high price items and very costly?

In the ordinary, perhaps they do!

But you can get these gifts at tremendous discounts and heavily rebated prices.

The way to secure these is to join a Rewards Club or Membership that secures gift vouchers or rewards vouchers that will enable you to access rewards that are supplied by sponsors. You apply the rewards instantly to the already lowest price available on hotels, condo vacations, cruises, airfare, dining, DVD movies, software, and a wide variety of other products and services.

Many offer discounts up to 25% on hotels, 75% discounts on magazines, or costs $1.74 for one DVD, $3.95 for original softwares…the list goes on and on!

Best of all, most memberships are low, around $15.00 and you get somewhere like ten times in value of rewards vouchers, so that your $15.00 is stretched to over $150.00, as an example.

There you are! For this Christmas, you have 12 excellent christmas gift ideas and one way to source them for fantastic discounts and stretch your christmas dollar all along the way.

Spread the cheer, spread the goodwill and you will find it so much blessed to receive joy in return for giving away gifts to your loved ones and friends.

Peter Lim is a Certified Financial Planner and a Marketing Strategist. He has more Christmas Gift ideas on his website “Christmas Gift Ideas For Your Loved Ones” at http://www.1best-deals.info/christmas-gift-ideas
and reveals how to access an exciting Rewards Membership program on his blog at http://www.insider-niche-marketing.blogspot.com
to get massive discounts for these christmas gifts.

Getting a Good Deal in a Hot Market Thursday, Apr 24 2008 

Despite the recent talk of weakening markets, many hot real estate markets around the country remain strong. Across the country, sales of homes have only decreased by 2.1% for the first quarter of 2006. While some formerly hot metro areas, such as those in California and Florida have cooled, other areas remain quite hot, such as Phoenix.

It would be nice to pick and choose when you will buy and sell your home according to the market. You would want to buy when it is cool and sell when it is hot. But that isn’t the way life works for many of us. We find ourselves moving for new jobs, selling for financial reasons and buying for more space.

When the time is right for your family to purchase a new home, you should go ahead. If you make wise choices and purchase well within your financial ability, you won’t have much to worry about.

There are a few ways to find good deals in a hot market. Start by finding a good Realtor. Your Realtor will help you find the homes that fit your criteria. Often, a Realtor can notify you as soon as a home is put on the market, even before it goes on the MLS. The selection of a good Realtor will make your purchase an easier transaction.

Make sure that you are ready to purchase a home on a minute’s notice. Many times, you have to be ready to make an offer as soon as you view the home. Be financially ready by having a pre-approval for a mortgage from your lender. Be emotionally ready by knowing exactly what you require in a home. It will happen fast, so don’t let yourself double-guess yourself too much.

While buying a home in a hot market can be a whirlwind, it can be one of those hurry up and wait situations. You have to be patient. Don’t just jump on the first house you se. Remember that your requirements are more important than a few more weeks of searching.

Stay in contact with your Realtor. Make sure that the Realtor understands exactly what you are looking for. If you haven’t heard anything in a week, call him or her. By keeping in contact, you are proving that you are a serious buyer. When new listings come up, you may be the first person on the Realtor’s mind.

The best way to find a good deal is to be right there when they come up. When a good deal hits the market, it goes fast. You have to be ready to jump, while cautious about not jumping to fast. It is sort of like juggling. You want to be ready for the next ball, without forgetting to hold on the current ball.

Hot markets are easily survived by wise homebuyers. The key is to take your time to make smart decisions. If you are prepared in what you are looking for, you will be able to make a sound quick decision. If you stay within your purchase power, you won’t have too much to worry about as the market cools. You can’t always time your buying and selling with the market, but you can find ways to work within the market.

Martin Lukac - EzineArticles Expert Author

Martin Lukac (http://www.MartinLukac.com), represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

LCD TV or Plasma TV - Which is Best For You? Thursday, Apr 24 2008 

Actually it’s a great thing to have to make a choice between these two competing TV screen technologies. You really can’t lose either way that you go, because both LCD screens and plasma TV screens produce a much better TV image than anything that has been available in the past. But there are some differences that you need to know about to make the best decision for your own use.

Both LCD and plasma TVs can be very thin in configuration and produce a flat panel picture that is similar to watching a movie screen. Plasma TVs though can be a little thinner than LCDs, so if space is a major consideration you may prefer the plasma screen for that reason.

The major difference when viewing both screens is that the plasma screen does reproduce more solid black than LCDs do and so it has a more contrasty picture. For some, this is a good thing, for others it doesn’t really seem to be an issue. So before buying be sure to make your own comparison and decide for yourself which screen fits you best.

One other difference is that plasma TVs run more hot than LCD because of the technology used to display the screen colors. So a fan is usually used in a plasma TV monitor to help cool the unit while it’s running. Depending on the manufacturer the fan can be easily heard while it is running, so if you have settled on a plasma TV, be sure that you check out the model that interests you and listen for fan noise before buying it, getting it home, and then deciding that you can’t live with it.

Another small difference is that plasma screens have a reputation for being susceptible to screen burn-in, where an image that has been on-screen for some time is still faintly visible even when viewing a different program. Actually the bad rap that plasma TVs have gotten on this matter is mostly overrated and is usually only a problem when an image stays on-screen for an extended period such as a video game that is paused for a long time and left on the screen. LCDs don’t suffer from this problem at all though, so just decide whether your viewing habits could possibly introduce a burn-in problem or not beforehand, and make your decision accordingly.

As was stated above, either kind of monitor will most likely suit you well as both technologies are fairly mature and well-developed. But being aware of the subtle differences will always lead to making a better, more informed decision.

Jim Johnson is a successful author and publisher on consumer related matters. You can find out more about a flat panel lcd tv and lcd tv reviews by visiting our HDTV website.

How To Install Window Treatments Like A Pro Wednesday, Apr 23 2008 

Tools needed: a battery operated screwdriver, screwdriver bits (Phillips and standard), hex head driver, tape measure, and scissors. Although no special tools are usually required when installing window treatments, it is suggested that you use a battery operated screwdriver or drill to make the job easier. First, un-package your treatment carefully and do NOT use a razor blade or knife to open the boxes. It is very easy to cut a string or the blind by doing this. Take care when removing the treatment from the box that it was shipped in; some treatments are more delicate than others. Remove all of the packing that was used in shipping, again taking care to do so. Place the treatment at the window that it will be installed; this helps if there are several treatments for different windows as not to get them mixed up. Then place all mounting hardware at the windows that are having treatments installed on them. Make sure you have the proper tools for the job, as screws and hardware will vary.

Horizontals: Install brackets making sure you use the proper bracket for the proper side (some have left and right brackets, and some do not). After the bracket is installed, open the brackets by lifting the bracket doors. Put blind in the brackets and close doors, making sure both sides are securely closed. If blind has a valance place valance clips on head rail before putting blind in brackets. Attach valance to blind headrail. Lower blind using the lift cord, and then rotate the blind in both directions to insure that it operates correctly.

Shades: Install shade brackets. Snap shade into place. (Because shades and brackets vary, refer to installation instructions that came with your shades). Lower the shade by pulling on the shade lift cord. This is usually done by pulling the shade lift cord to the left to release it, and to the right to lock it.

Verticals: For inside mount verticals mount the valance first. (Some valances may require trimming first). Mount brackets under valance in the proper position to allow slats to move without interfering with valance. Snap track into place. Hang the slats and make sure they all snap securely in place. Attach cord tension pulley to the wall and adjust tension so that it is secure but not tight.

For outside mount verticals: Measure to the spot you measured for the bracket to be, and make a mark. Using the top screw hole of the bracket, fasten a screw in the top hole where you made your mark. Place another screw in bottom hole. Center track over window and snap it into place, making sure that it is properly secure. Attach slats, making sure that each one is properly attached. Snap the valance brackets onto head rail if they do not have them built into the brackets. Center valance over the vertical track and place into valance holder. (Some valances may require a slight tap with the butt of your palm to secure). Mount the tension pulley to the wall and adjust the tension so it is secure but not tight. Draw blinds back and forth, and rotate them to assure that they are functioning properly.

About the Author

Mike Wasdin is a specialist in all facets of home decor. For additional help or questions, visit DecoratingDepot.com or call 866-755-2173

Things to Know Before Buying Medical Billing Software Wednesday, Apr 23 2008 

When you think to buy a medical billing and coding software you have to know several things. First of all don’t lose your time thinking about scams questions like “how can i have success and earn money comfortably from home and without studying and investing anything?” This questions have only one answer: studying and investing money only, because medical coding and billing are profession that need preparation and experience. A medical billing degree or certificate program is necessary for success and you should pay no attention to these deceitful ads that you sometimes see.

In fact, the profession requires a great deal of skill, including, but not limited to knowing how to:
• Complete several types of complex insurance claim forms
• Comprehend insurance guidelines, procedures and claims submission process
• Evaluate Explanation of Benefits (EOB) forms to ensure that insurance companies have properly assessed and paid for charges
• Contact with insurance companies and patients to ensure that bills are paid in a timely manner
• Make accounts receivable reports for clients

Become Trained in Medical Billing and Coding
To learn the skills listed, and more, enroll into a program that will train you in both medical billing and coding. Both skill sets are often joint subjects since medical coding is essential to the billing process.

Explode Your Website Traffic like an Atom Bomb Tuesday, Apr 22 2008 

If you want to get hoards of targeted traffic to your website
without spending a dime, then this might be the most important
letter you’ll ever read.

If you want to increase your website traffic without putting in
any additional efforts after you have given some initial push,
then I urge you to read this article — immediately.

If you’re sick and tired of getting low traffic and sales
pouring into your site and you are hunting for some
life-changing solution, then here’s good news–

Now you can own some of the proven viral marketing secrets and
cash-in on one of the greatest website promotion strategy online.

Viral Marketing is allowing people to giveaway and use your free
product or service in order to multiply your marketing quickly
over the internet.

The idea behind viral marketing is that you include your ad with
the freebie people giveaway or use.

Below are five high impact viral marketing strategies…

STEP 1 - Article Marketing.

Allow people to reprint your articles on their web site, in
their e-zine, newsletter, magazine or ebooks. Include your
resource box and the option for article reprints at the bottom
of each article.

STEP 2 - Spread Freebies like Ebooks.

Allow people to use any of your freebies as free bonuses for
products or services they sell. Include your ad on all your
freebies.

STEP 3 - Let them Use Your Discussion Board.

Allow people to use your online discussion board for their own
web site. Some people don’t have one. Just include your banner
ad at the top of the board.

STEP 4 - Provide FREE Hosting Space.

Allow people to sign up for a free web site on your server.
Since you are giving away the space, require them to include
your banner ad at the top of the site.

STEP 5 - Exchange Links.

Allow people to add their link to your free web site directory.
Just require that they return a link back to your web site,
advertising your directory.

Everything you may have heard about website traffic and
promotion might be true.

But this article has shown you some amazing ways to EXPLODE your
website traffic by getting others to work for you.

If you’ve been looking for a quick and easy way to get thunder
storm of visitors rushing to your site all day long, this
article has shown you exactly how to do the same.

One of the most difficult and time consuming tasks in this ebiz
game is to get traffic to your site on a continuous basis. And
that’s not cheap.

Therefore it makes perfect sense to put in some efforts and put
a viral marketing strategy in place that will motivate your
existing traffic to work for you, to get MORE traffic to your
website.

There’s never been a better time for you to skyrocket your
traffic counter, than it is today!

An Organized Workspace Helps Keep Kids On Track Tuesday, Apr 22 2008 

Homework is a fact of life for most school kids and their parents. For me keeping my kids on track starts with creating a positive and well organized workspace.

As a founder of a local neighborhood after school program, I have come up with a list of ideas I believe go along way to encouraging and enhancing homework completion.

First and foremost, develop an organized homework routine. In our house, timing is a big issue. My ten year old son needs to play for a while when he gets home, while my twelve year old daughter usually heads straight up to her room and starts her homework right way.

Either approach works great so long as there is some consistency regarding the time (and place) homework is done. Developing an organized schedule may also help avoid procrastination. Just because your child may not have homework on a particular night, doesn’t mean they can’t use their ‘homework time’ for pleasure reading or working on an upcoming project.

I’ve also learned having your child play a role in selecting where school work is done is VERY important. While a desk works for one, it may not work for the other. The kitchen table may be a better option. Regardless of the location it’s important to select a spot with adequate lighting, one that is comfortable for working, and is as free from as many distractions as possible. Large, clutter-free work surfaces are best.

Homework time is also a good time for the whole family to pursue quiet activities e.g. paying bills, reading, writing etc. Not only does this provide a good work environment, it models positive behavior as your child sees you working at things that require effort. You may also consider a ‘no phone call’ policy during this time.

For more tips on helping your kids with their homework visit http://www.familysanitysavers.com/homeworkhelp.html

If your child’s school doesn’t enforce the use of an organized homework agenda, create your own. Both agendas and checklists have become invaluable tools in our home. Keeping a running ‘to do’ list helps not only my kids organized and on top of assignments, but it reminds them about what materials they need to take to class. Crossing completed items off the list gives them a sense of accomplishment.

Help your child develop an organized homework plan and estimate together how long each assignment should take. Also assist him in prioritizing homework assignments in the order in which they should be done. Starting with one that’s not too long or difficult is a good idea as long as he doesn’t save the longest or hardest assignments for last.

Teach your child how to manage and organize his time and structure long-term school projects. Understanding how to break down big assignments into smaller more manageable steps will be important to your child’s overall academic success.

Pay close attention to due dates. When dealing with assignments like science fair projects, your child should not only note project requirements and due dates but also his plan of attack. Post required steps like visits to the library or the purchase of materials.

Talk with your child about the importance of not leaving school until he checks his assignment list and makes sure he has any necessary books and materials.

Keep school supplies and storage areas organized. Making sure your child has all the necessary supplies shows him that you take his work seriously.

Help children stay organized by encouraging them to get in the habit of putting textbooks, binders, signed notes, and other necessary materials inside their backpack as soon as they are finished with them. And finally, keeping their backpack in the same location every night eliminates last minute panic.

Sherrie Le Masurier is a lifestyle columnist, organizing consultant and a member of Professional Organizers in Canada. She offers up smart solutions for busy families via http://www.familysanitysavers.com and http://www.organizedliving.blogspot.com - Copyright.

Social Security Disability in Virginia: The Five (5) Most Important Factors Monday, Apr 21 2008 

In my 30 years of experience representing claimants in social security disability hearings, I have concluded there are five factors that are significant in almost every case. These are the factors one should consider when applying for disability.

SERIOUS IMPAIRMENT: You cannot get disability for a hangnail. Your impairment must seriously affect your ability to work. It must be an impairment In my 30 years of practice, I have always found Social Security Judges to be very sympathetic to a claimant with a serious impairment such as lupus or cancer.

YOUR AGE: It is best to be 55 years old or older when applying for disability. The system favors the older applicant. On the other hand if you are under 50 years of age you may have to show you cannot do any job that exists in the national economy. It does not take much physical ability to be a greeter at a Walmart store or a security monitor watcher. If you are under age 50 you will have to show you cannot do those types of jobs.

YOUR OWN DOCTOR’S OPINION: Social Security has a rule that can help most applicants. That rule says if your doctor’s opinion is well reasoned and based on many clinical visits by you over a period of time then his/her opinion can be granted “controlling weight” in your case. Thus, if your doctor supports your claim, then you have a great chance to win your case. In my experience, 100% support by the claimant’s own doctor is crucial to success in a claim for disability. I have had a number of cases where the United States District Court has reversed a Social Security Administrative Law Judge precisely because the Social Security Judge did not give enough weight to the opinion of the claimant’s own doctor.

YOUR SKILL AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL: Unfortunately, the more education you have and the more skills you have the harder it is going to be to win a disability case. For example, even if you are over 55 years of age and have a serious orthopaedic impairment if you still can do some sort of clerical work at a desk, you probably will not be found to be disabled. This is especially true if your past skills and education indicate you can do clerical work. However, all is not lost if you can show your impairment prevents you from “sitting” to do clerical work or if your impairment prevents you from the very light repetitve work required of clerical work.

THE OPINION OF A SPECIALIST: If you have an impairment such as lupus, some type of cancer, or fibromyalgia, the opinion of your family doctor (although beneficial) will probably not carry the day. What you need is the support of a specialist who treats the particular impairment you have. For example, with fibromyalgia you would need to consult a specialist in arthritis or rheumatology. He or she would at a minimum have to say your fibromyalgia met the American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria for the disease. For cancer, you probably need the opinion of an oncologist.

SUMMARY, In my 30 years of practice and in doing over 1,000 hearings I have found the above five factors to be the most important elements of a winning disability case.

This may be considered AN ADVERTISEMENT or Advertising Material under the Rules of Professional Conduct governing lawyers in Virginia. This note is designed for general information only. The information presented in this note should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

Jerry Lutkenhaus is a practitioner of Social Security Disability & Workers Compensation law in the Richmond, Virginia area for over 30 years He was given an “AV” rating by Martindale Hubbell in 2003. Lexis Nexis listed him in the 2005 Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys. For more information, see our websites at http://www.geraldlutkenhaus.com and http://www.virginiadisabilitylawyer.com or call Jerry Lutkenhaus at 804-358-4766 for a free consultation on your claim.

Jerry Lutkenhaus - EzineArticles Expert Author

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