Since I first started practicing Social Security disability law in 1979, Lumbees have been a significant part of my firm’s practice. Historically, most Lumbees have suffered from poor educational access, poor access to health care and poverty in general. These have led to Lumbees having sky high disability rates.
Things are still bad but not quite as bad as they used to be. I can remember a day of hearings in the early 1980s in Lumberton with four Lumbee clients back to back who were all illiterate. The Administrative Law Judge, who was there on assignment from another state, asked pointedly “Are all your clients illiterate?” I had to educate him to the fact that all of those clients were Lumbee and about local circumstances. Where and when those claimants were growing up there were three school systems. The one for whites was lousy. The one for blacks was much worse. The third one, for Lumbees, was much worse still. Lumbees had little chance to learn to read and write. I can remember the clerk butting it to say “He’s telling the truth.” The ALJ was amazed. The local ALJs already knew.
For those from outside North Carolina, Lumbees are one of the largest native American tribes in the U.S. They’re also not recognized by the federal government although everyone concedes they’re native Americans. Even other tribes have worked hard to prevent Lumbees from getting tribal recognition. It’s all terribly unfair. If you want to find the most disadvantaged group in America, try going to Robeson County, NC.
If you’re in NC and want help with your Social Security disability claim, call Hall & Rouse, P.C. at 1-866-425-5347
