Heard from Disabitily

[trector1955]

Hello
      Will I was turned down again from Social Services. Well Now its time to get a Lawyer. I am going to call tomorrow. Does any one have any suggestions now talking to a lawyer, What to look for. or a good one in the fredericksburg, DC area or Maryland? I live in King George, Va but these places are close enough. I can't wait until I start my study on dry eyes. It is so cool. I will let every one know what is going on. I read a post about some one wanting to go to john hopkins for some studies if you read this, email me **email addy deleted please contact her through pm messaging**. I just don't understand SS. Do you have to be on Deaths door to get disability? I talked to this lady at the pharmacy and she said she was turned down twice and got a lawyer and she had her money in a week I should have asked her who he was. what a dummy i am. I have so many things wrong what is with them. I am going to go to my GP and tell him how I feel and I just wonder what the Dr's write on their files anyway. We will see!
Theresa any one with ideas please let me know
Theresa

[Scottietottie]

Hi Theresa 

I know there was a thread about this before and it was suggested that people got a lawyer at the outset when they wanted to apply. I'm sorry to hear you've been turned down again and I hope you get a good lawyer and that they can sort it out for you.

Take care - Scottie 

[eyeamdry]

Hi Theresa,
Sorry it's being such a pain filing for disability.  I've never heard of anyone "getting a lawyer" and getting money in a week, however.  I think I'd not entirely believe that unless the person was on the verge or receiving it anyhow.  It is a good thing, though, to employ a lawyer now, but I doubt you'll have things in a week.  The attorney should get things moving though.

You should gather ALL doctors' records who have treated you for anything even remotely Sjogrens syndrome.  This includes your GP, any rheumys, eye doctors, psychologists etc.  This includes going back several or more years also.  Don't leave anything out.  Good luck.  Lucy

[Nettie]

Theresa, so sorry to hear about your recent denial, however this is not unusual. 

One of the biggest misconceptions about qualifying for disability is that a diagnosis may result in fairly easy approval, however getting approved for social security disability requires showing how your illness and symptoms impacts your ability to function with everyday activities and work place tasks.  You will more then likely improve your chances of approval by communicating and documenting these types of impacts.  So how can you do this?

Social security disability reviewers use a form they call the residual functional capacity form to document someone's functional ability; both limitations and remaining capacity.  Things like walking, talking, lifting, bending, etc.  You can search their website for a sample form.  When you are completing forms sent to you, be sure to take the time to document all of your limitations. 

Most lawyers and non attorney representatives know just how important it is to communicate a client's limitations, so when they take on a case they may focus on getting your primary doctor's to each complete the residual functional capacity form, as this will definitely help support your case.  Most applicants are unaware of the importance of this step and may not fully communicate limitations on their forms.  Even when you do provide this detail, providing doctor completed forms  increases one's chance for approval. 

If you were to evaluate all of us with Sjogren's, you would easily see that we all vary in the number of symptoms, level of severity and level of limitations we have due to our illness.  Additionally, most of us have several illnesses.  So, as you can see just listing Sjogren's would not qualify someone, but instead only those who are severely impacted in both their everyday tasks and work functions would qualify. 

They look at how you function both at home and at work because qualifying for social security disability requires that you demonstrate that you cannot not preform your current job AND that you can no longer do ANY kind of work I believe in a full time capacity.  If you cannot lift things at home, you would probably not be able to do a job that requries lifting.  You can explain all of your limitations yourself, but by getting your doctor's to support your claim's for limitations helps your case.  Some folks simply get written statements from their doctor's, however the utilmate documentation would be completed residual functional capacity forms by all of your treating physicians.  This is the language that social security disability understands. 

As far as finding a lawyer, you can do a google search for social security disabilty lawyers in the dc metro area and you will get a good listing to start. 

I agree with Lucy, that if after getting a lawyer that person was approved in a week, that it was simply the timing, not the lawyer who got the approval quickly.

Remember that by getting representation does not mean you should not stay actively involved in your case.  I had representation and I truly feel that if I had not stayed actively involved in my case I would still be unapproved 3 years later.

Lastly, there are some illnesses / symptoms that could result in a faster approval, like loss of eyesight is probably one.  Again, this is a reason to avoid comparing yourself to others who have gone through the process.  Each case is individual based on your illnesses, symptoms, limiatations and remaining functional capacity.

I hope this helps.  Good luck and don't give up.

Nettie

[JJ]

I will say this...you need to have a very thick pile of doctor reports. If a lawyer can't

look at your medical file without needing a forklift they do not want to touch your case.

Good luck..I hope it goes well for you.

Hugs,
JJ

[Patze]

Hi Theresa,

I'm sorry that you got denied, but I'll keep the fingers crossed for you in the future!  And King George's county is some very pretty country.

Take care -

Patze

[irish]

My Soc. Sec. disability case worker told me to document everything and get all the medical records from time I started having symptoms--or at least an escalation in symptoms. Also, when you fill out the questionaires that they send you do not write in the little spaces they leave for you. Do it on the computer and have the page titled for what questionaire you are filling out, the date, your name and phone number.

Then write the number or letter of the question and the question and leave a space and type in the answer including all the info that you can glean from over the years. Include your smaller symptoms and the large ones. Don't leave out anything that you consider to be from your condition. Also, put in remarks about activities that you used to be able to do and can't do now.

Make sure to have a sheet with the list of all your doctors, their speciality and phone number. Somehow include dates of severe cases of pain etc and how it affected your ability to work and take care of the house, etc. I can tell you this, they don't often find much in the doctors notes that helps get you disability as docs tend to just do minimum of notes. Some docs are extremely good at notes but a lot of them aren't. The bulk of the input comes from us and our ability to put it in a form that impresses them.

As far as getting disability the first time if you use a lawyer, I doubt that you would get it. I don't know if they would even accept a lawyer the first time around. The disability is something that is not given so quickly as they are trying to weed out the lazy ones who are out to cheat the system. I know, I know, it isn't fair. However, when I was working as a nurse we had criteria we had to follow when someone got hurt that involved calling a company who carried out disability/workmans comp insurance. They really went through hoops to weed out people. We had people with back injuries who were sucking the system dry and not working but who were seen bowling---the end of the disability for them!!!!

The good thing about getting a lawyer is that they know the ropes and can go through all the hoops using the info you tell them. Also, they know what info to get out of you. Good luck. Irish

[Epson]

There are web sites with a lot of valuable information about filing SSD claims, one said 70 percent of all claims are denied the first time around.

[djean87]

i have filed for soc sec disabilty also first time denied now have a lawyer for reconsideration.yesterday soc sec sent me for breathing tests.have already seen soc sec medical doctor and psychologist for soc sec.seems it never ends.the stress of this is out of this world,after tests yesterday am having bad day today,very tired ,nauseated, loose stools and shakey.chills and sweats.am beginning to wonder if there is a end to this madness.good luck to you

[Carrottop50]

I didn't get my disability until the third time... and if I hadn't talked to others on the net.... I would of never filed the second time or third time....

Everyone that is filing and you believe you can't work... Hang in there and file again and again.... They put you through it that is for sure....but at least when you receive it you will know you deserve because SS would of never let you have it if you didn't....

[Billydude]

I can't stress enough the importance of not trying to do this yourself.  I used www.disabilitygroup.com and got approved the first time around.   Seemingly,  social security takes claims from law firms more seriously as they know a law firm won't take you on unless they are sure you have a case.  I can't imagine why anyone would want to take on social security on their own.   You don't have to go with a "local" firm as this firm I used will travel anywhere to appear before the judge if you are denied.   In most cases it doesn't come to that.     Why does anyone try to do this themselves?  These firms only take a percentage of the first initial payout so there is nothing you have to pay in advance.  If you don't get approved they get nothing.  If there is any good advise I can pass on to anyone this would be at the top of my list.
Steve