Disability lawyer Michael Liner, head attorney and founder of Liner Legal, talks with “Enable: The Disability Podcast” about disability benefits, including SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) and SSI (Supplemental Security Income); who’s eligible; how to apply; and important details about restrictions (such as SGA, Substantial Gainful Activity) and timelines. Liner also shares his experiences with epilepsy and motor tic syndrome, and why he’s not a fan of the word “disability.”
”I hate the word disability because I think it’s such a misnomer. Disability means you lack ability. I don’t lack ability. I’m better than most people at a lot of things," he explained. “I think that what we should be talking about are diff abilities, having different abilities. With my background, if you ask me to sit and concentrate and focus on something for two hours, no chance, not gonna happen... [but] I don’t have disabilities. I have different abilities.”
“You just need to find what you’re great at and lean into it. And that’s my story.“
For more info, visit ssa.gov/disability or connect with Liner at linerlegal.com and on TikTok @backwardshatbarrister.
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“Enable: The Disability Podcast,” about amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, will release new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart.
Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.
About the hosts
Geoff Herbert, who was born with a profound binaural hearing loss, is a reporter, SEO Lead and content supervisor for syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Despite being mostly deaf in both ears, he’s also worked as a DJ for 25 years, including 10 years in radio (as “DeafGeoff”) and 10 years as a wedding DJ in Upstate New York. He learned how to communicate orally with hearing aids, lipreading and speech therapy, and embraces assistive technology like visual waveforms in music programs, closed captioning/subtitles, and video calls.
Kurt Hower, who has worked at Advance Local for over 35 years, is a leader both in the media industry and in the community. He has been actively involved in leading change as the print industry has continued to rapidly evolve, while also serving on a variety of boards including the Central PA Chapter Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors where he was Chairman of Board Development and a member of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Hower has ankylosing spondylitis, a rare disease that causes arthritis of the spine, and encourages others to focus on what they can contribute to society rather than their challenges.
Community at Work Job Fair
The Community at Work Virtual Job Fair offers an inclusive and accessible platform connecting a diverse, skilled talent pool with employers eager to build dynamic teams. See open jobs and more at advancemediany.com/career-fair-2025.
Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local.
