Client Stories 

  1.) A mother came to our office with her 18-year-old child who suffers from mental retardation. Although the child had been receiving Supplemental Security Income from the federal government, the benefits ceased when the mother’s income increased to a certain level. When the mother’s income was subsequently reduced, and the child reapplied for SSI, the benefits were denied. We represented the client at an administrative law hearing, and a Fully Favorable Decision was issued finding the client disabled and eligible to receive SSI benefits. The client received a retroactive check in the amount of $8500 and ongoing monthly benefits of $579 per month. This will allow the client and her mother to regain financial stability and receive proper medical treatment for her impairments.

2.) A client came to our office regarding an appeal from a District Justice hearing for an eviction from public housing. She was being evicted for housing a boarder in violation of the lease. She had a boyfriend living with her at the time, and when she tried to get him added to the lease, they found he had a prior criminal record. She threw him out and even paid the public housing authority to change the locks so he couldn’t return. Despite the fact that she was now living alone and her ex-boyfriend was gone, the housing authority was still pursuing the eviction.

In addition to the housing concerns, the client also had a myriad of health problems. Her apartment was a distance from her doctor’s office and physical therapy appointments. A NWLS law worker met with representatives from the housing authority and argued that our client should be moved to a handicapped apartment closer to her doctors. Our office suggested that all the problems would be solved if they would just move our client.

Our client got a doctor’s statement and applied for a housing for people with disabilities. After numerous attempts at resolving this dispute, the housing director finally called and told our office that he had a handicapped apartment available for our client in the area close to her doctor’s office. When we informed the client about the decision, she cried with joy. It was her birthday and she was so very happy to have a new apartment close to where she would be able to get the treatment and therapy she needed.

3.) A woman came to our office regarding a denial of unemployment compensation benefits from her former employer. Our client had three children and had no source of income following the loss of her job. This was threatening her ability to keep her mobile home as she could not afford her rent or utilities. Our client’s employer had alleged she had been insubordinate to her manager while at work. The facts of the case were that the woman was told to work beyond her regularly scheduled hours, and when she asked to leave her job to pick up her children from their day care, her request was denied. When she left work to pick up her children, she was fired. A hearing was held before an unemployment compensation referee, and it was determined that the client had not been insubordinate. She was granted unemployment benefits of $180.00 per week, money she needed to pay her bills.

4.) Our office has a client who is a mother of five children, three of whom are mentally and physically handicapped and range in ages from 4 to 12. The woman got out an abusive relationship with our assistance, and as part of our legal representation of her civil issues, we handled a divorce and child support, and finally a custody hearing on her behalf. While this was transpiring, the client got a once in a lifetime offer to finish her college degree out of state, and she wanted to move over her ex-husband's objection. We presented our custody relocation case to the mediator, and to our delight and hers, the court granted her permission to move, and she's started on her new life. The children are proud of their mother's accomplishments and they work harder to do well in school, so she will too.

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