Lone Star Legal Aid’s Sondra Haltom Helps Army Veteran Secure SSDI Benefits After Delays and Denial

After serving in Iraq helping rebuild schools, medical clinics, and places of worship, Ms. Schexnayder came home to a different kind of battle—this time with her health and the Social Security system.

She stopped working in 2022 after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Even before the diagnosis, she had been dealing with serious health problems that made working difficult. The cancer and resulting treatment worsened her existing conditions, and she now receives ongoing care through both the Veterans Administration and private healthcare providers, including home health care.

During her deployment in Iraq, Ms. Schexnayder witnessed an IED blast that severely injured the father of her child and killed a member of her team. She believes her cancer may be connected to burn pit exposure during that deployment. “My unit was not sent to Iraq to destroy anything,” she said. “Instead, our mission was to repair schools, houses of worship, and medical facilities.” 

Despite her hardships, Ms. Schexnayder was determined to move forward with her life by treating her conditions. When she applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), her claim was denied—not because she didn’t qualify, but because she missed the deadline to return a form. At the time, she was in the hospital recovering from a mastectomy.

Ms. Schexnayder contacted Lone Star Legal Aid and was connected with Military and Veterans Unit attorney Sandra Haltom, who represented Ms. Schexnayder throughout the appeals process. She prepared a comprehensive legal memo, submitted supporting medical documentation from VA and private providers, and attended Ms. Schexnayder’s hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) on October 17, 2024. Despite being fully prepared to present oral argument and question the vocational expert, Ms. Haltom was not given the opportunity. The ALJ asked a limited set of questions, ordered a consultative orthopedic exam, and abruptly ended the hearing.

At the time, the justification for the additional orthopedic evaluation was unclear, as the most substantial barriers to Ms. Schexnayder’s ability to work stemmed from her mental health conditions and cancer. However, Haltom continued to advocate for her as the Social Security Administration (SSA) processed the exam and re-evaluated her case.

Eventually, the Social Security Administration approved Ms. Schexnayder’s application and found that she met the legal definition of disability. This means she was determined to have a serious physical or mental condition that prevents her from working and is expected to last at least a year or result in death. SSA set her disability start date as June 6, 2022. As a result, she was awarded monthly SSDI benefits and received a lump sum payment for the time her application was pending. SSA also noted that medical improvement is expected, so her case will be reviewed again in two years.

This financial support has been a lifeline for Ms. Schexnayder and her daughter as she continues treatment and navigates ongoing health challenges.

*The recovery amount is dependent on each individual’s circumstances.

Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.

Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org