Heard from Social Security disability today

[mvd]

They apologized for the rude behavior of the evaluation doctor, and were very nice. Said they haven’t gotten complaints about her, but I think that is because people don’t bother.

They want a hearing test and something from my current doctor before deciding. I have a new doctor due to not being able to pay the practice fee anymore for the other practice. But I have mentioned my disability to him and my old doctor thought I had it.

So hope things go ok. It is not a lot of money, but anything helps.

[Akoto]

1. That is progress!

Make sure you get all of your records from your old doctor and, if he is willing, also a letter stating his clinical stance as being that you have the disability you're applying for. Those letters counted for a lot in my case. Make copies of them.

It's also helpful with the new doctor, too!

Getting an apology out of them is a rare thing, indeed. Nobody apologized to me until the judge, heh.

[mvd]

2. Thank you for the support!

Yes I have an appointment next week and I will talk to my doctor about it.

[Akoto]

3. Sure thing!

Also, make sure you feel good about the new doctor. I didn't stay with any who felt like they were iffy about what I was going through, or wouldn't back me up when the medical review happened. Hope all goes well, I know the wait is nerve wracking.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. This is great news, my dear mvd! I'm hoping this gets approved and FAST! ♥

[mvd]

5. Thank you, Peggy

I will keep everyone updated!

[davsand]

6. How long ago did you file? I'm in the process now.

I filed in January and the website says my file has been processed 27%. The Social Security website says it is running about 6 months to see the first determination. Since they didn't pick up my file until the end of April, I'm thinking I may not know anything until the end of the year... I shouldn't be surprised, I guess, but this feels like a SLOOOOOOW process! I hope your area office is faster.

Good luck with your case!


Laura

[mvd]

8. Thanks! It has been VERY slow

I filed in November and it took until May to get an evaluation. So hopefully things speed up now.

[Grasswire2]

7. A note

When my daughter (now an adult) was under consideration and denied the first time despite being intellectually disabled and an epileptic, I wrote to my senator at his home office in state.

Voila.

And when SS screwed up her benefits two years ago, cutting her off without warning I simply noted cc: Senator xxxx at the bottom of a letter, and the benefits were very quickly restored in full.

Use that clout if you have to.

[mvd]

9. Thank you for your story

Very helpful indeed to have some back up like that.

[CountAllVotes]

10. Get a lawyer lined up

Have one ready to take your case if you are denied!

[davsand]

13. They hope you give up after that first denial. It's always been that way.

Well, I say "always" but at least since the late 90's that's been their usual practice. I worked a statewide Children's SSI project back in the late 90's and that was absolutely what they did. Here I am, decades later, and it's still going on. If they make it hard enough a percentage of applicants will just give up. It's a cost saving strategy. While I do not blame employees as individuals, it goes on because that is how they are trained and how the internal policies are written. When I realized I could not continue to work any more I started calling some of the lawyers that used to volunteer for our program. What I heard from them was pretty discouraging. What I've observed so far has not lifted my spirits at all.

I agree completely with you about getting a list of attorneys that do disability work. A good one can make all the difference. Remember, this is a federal thing. You can hire a disability law specialist from a different state and it's not an issue unless you (as the client) need or want face to face meetings with your attorney. Most of the hearings are online now rather than in person like they used to be. Don't laugh, but check on "U-tube" on the subject and you can quickly find a bunch of information.

Again, good luck!


Laura

[CountAllVotes]

19. I had one working for me when I was denied

I got so sick he managed to have the case dismissed.

It was ruled in my favor by the higher ups he knew at SS.

Lawyers are worth it!

If it weren't for the lawyer I had retained I might have had to wait for years, I don't know!

Its a "just do it" sort of thing IMO.

[Karadeniz]

11. I've heard of so many deserving people being refused... I sure hope you get a good outcome!!!

[towerbum]

12. S.S. doctor's get huge amount's of fee's -

to keep out of SS disability !

[DownriverDem]

14. You need a lawyer

Folks usually get turned down until they have a lawyer. Good luck.

[appalachiablue]

15. Agree with getting legal help, all the best! and

KEEP US POSTED!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

16. They do NOT automatically deny everyone the first time.

What actually happens is that most people haven't a clue as to how much documentation they actually need to be determined disabled in a way the results in getting SS disability.

A while back I was an intern for an attorney who did Social Security Disability appeals, and I learned a lot. 80% of my job involved photocopying clients' records, some of which would be six inches thick. I even sat in a couple of times on the meeting with the judge and my attorney. It was incredibly instructive.

Just because your doctor agrees you are disabled and should be able to get Disability, doesn't make it a shoo-in. Again, you have to have everything documented. Oh, and there can't be some other job that you could do instead. It helps to go blind. That will get you approved the first time out. It also helps to be over 50, because after that age there's an assumption that retraining is difficult at best. Under 50, the assumption is a person can probably retrain.

Plus, you are effectively retiring very early, and probably have not worked 35 years. Social Security uses your 35 highest paid years to calculate what you'll get, and whatever your Disability amount is will not really increase, other than the yearly COLA, which is never very much.

[gratuitous]

17. I worked in administrative law for a few years

The most important bit of advice our lawyers gave to claimants was, "Don't give up." We represented claimants all the way up to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The lawyer I worked for was really good, and won benefits for clients time and again when others told them to just let it go. If you have to go looking for a lawyer, look for one with experience in administrative law, and particularly social security appeals.

[halfulglas]

18. The good thing is SS usually pays your attorney fees if you need one.

My friend's stepdaughter's husband had a massive stroke when he was in his late 30s or early 40s. He received good therapy and can get by without constant nursing care but he is unable to work. I believe he was turned down the first time but received it the second time. Also a good thing is you get paid retro so you can catch up on your bills. I don't know if he has to be re-evaluated after an amount of time or not, but he definitely cannot work.

[mvd]

20. Thanks all

Lots of good info. A lawyer is a possibility. They want the hearing test in 10 days while they took months? Doesn’t seem fair. It is not always easy to get in.