Ughh !! Looks like I have to go on permanent Disability

[okiebass]

Crankin--so sorry to hear about your health issues !! I hope you get what you are entitled too quickly !!

[TampaJim]

Post 17 --Because EVERY SINGLE person i know who has filed for disability has been turned DOWN until they get an attny involved. Unfortunately that IS how system works.

And they help you AFTER you are turned down. FWIW, my wife wasn't denied at all. My best friend wasn't denied either. Approved.
If your condition is clearly documented, all clicks are correct, all submissions complete AND the condition listed by SSA, you're good.
The issue is when everything isn't correctly, a 50/50 case needing clarification, people who are younger and collect decades, etc.

[Mark Perry]

Crankin--so sorry to hear about your health issues !! I hope you get what you are entitled too quickly !!

This.

[mattmann7]

I am 55 and had throat Cancer 20 years ago. Because of the radiation needed my ability to speak is extremely limited and will only get worse. I also will be experiencing fibrosis deterioration for the rest of my life . I'm hoping that the Cancer center at my hospital will help in the filing. They told me at my last appointment they will assist in anyway . With that said I still want to work.

You can still work if disabled. At age 51 I received a determination from a doctor that would have given me a fast track to receive full disability benefits. I was determined to return to my work and misunderstood the disability commissioners advise for me. He told me that if I was unable to find work than apply for benefits. I didn't and lost out on a window of opportunity. I never returned to any where's near what I lost in pay at my position that I was at when I was injured. Had I taken the advice I could have received the full benefits I was entitled to. By the time I tried to apply at age 55 it was not possible to rebuild my case. I had all the necessary doctors paperwork in hand when I settled with my insurance for the injury at the commissioners office initially. I had a total ot 6 doctors sign off on the injury and it's incapacity.

At 61 I had a brain injury and my neurologist determined I had a white mass in my brain that spelled of dementia not presenting symptoms. It took me 18 months of testing and seeing doctors to get cleared for part time work. The jury is still out on when or if the dementia symptoms will occur. Social security made my determination on my passing of cognitive tests. My case is still open.

[mastergun]

My ex-wife has been getting disability now for probably close to 18 years after having 5 back surgeries...anyway, she used a company called Allsup to manage the application and the process. I want to say they set up the doctor's appointments as well. You can do it on your own but they make it very complicated. If they agree to manage it for you it's actually a good sign because they don't get paid if you don't get approved. At least that's how it was back then. The whole process probably took 18 months and you'll get benefits retroactive from the time you file once you're approved. I remember the way it worked for her was they took a chunk (I want to say 30%) of the retro pay.

Deleted

[TampaJim]

I'd be curious if these lawyers purposely drag their feet to get a bigger payday from the retro payment. I know.... I'm a cynic.

It's capped, pretty low amount. Even if it's five years, they assured won't "get rich" due to the cap, it's intentionally set to deter it.

[swamprat]

Once you start the process,,,,,, NEVER AND I MEAN NEVER drop your case,,, Appeal,,,, Appeal,,,, Appeal..Once you win you will get back pay from when you first apply.
IF YOU DROP YOUR CASE YOU START OVER.
When you first file do not hire a lawyer.

[jlg309]

Tampa Jim is 100% correct. Do not hire a lawyer until you have been denied benefits. Crankin- due to your age, you are likely to be approved at the initial level. If you are denied, you file for reconsideration which places your case with another examiner for review. If your are denied again, your appeal goes before an administrative law judge. The wait times for ALJ hearings can take many months. If you need to escalate your claim to the ALJ level, hire a lawyer. At this stage, the lawyer will take your case with no up front fees. If you are approved by the ALJ, the lawyer is going to take 25% of your back pay, up to $6000. (Back pay is the money you would have been receiving all the way back to when you first filed, often a year or more before you are finally approved.)

[godsdozer]

I will be praying for you sir.

[Boatseller]

I was in your shoes in 2018 and I hired a lawyer that really helped speed the process. In NC it is the only way to go and the payment amount is capped by SSDI that a lawyer can charge. You get retro pay from the date of last worked and they pay the lawyer first so I really did not miss it. Good luck and sending prayers for all.

[1stindoor]

I will only say this, every single person I knew that applied, was successful, or got denied...was dealing with different circumstances. I will also tell you that the majority of people I know that were successful on their first application, had stacks of medical documentation...and no lawyer.

[okiebass]

My best friend was the exact opposite ---and he DID have stacks and stacks of medical documentation !

[n2ratfishin]

I can envision it like the VA disability process. Outside records are good, but if they send you to their doc for a consult, what you say to that doc, how you say it to that doc, etc...can make or break your case.

I was hard headed and would not play the VA Disability game for 20 years. 15 of those years I would have been concurrent disabled instead of paying my own disability money. I finally talked with the right reps and whaaalaaa I was approved without a lawyer. Being hard headed cost me about 180,000.00. Talk with a Social Security person who handles SSDI. Someone here may know which government regulation they use? Your diagnosis and treatment likely has to match their wording.

I could be wrong and it's nothing like the VA Disability system?

[okiebass]

i would imagine pretty much the same --both gov't agencys lol

[Crankin]

Thank you all for your Comments.

[fishingram24]

My wife was diagnosed with MS about 10 years ago Her neurologist at the time, had treated her for about 6 months before confirming MS. He told us to leave his office and go directly to SSA office and get the paperwork, bring it to him to fill out as he said he knew how to word it to get her passed and she would also have to resign from her job of 25 years teaching SPED. 3 months later she was approved the first time and received about what she would have gotten if she had retired at 62 and went on SSI.

[BigDave65]

When I had to go out on disability due to my kidney disease, it took 6 months to get approved. Fortunately the folks at my clinic handled everything for me.

[Condor482]

Crankin, I want to wish you excellent health and an expedited delivery of all that is due to you. It’s amazing that you were able to work in sales for so long after having throat cancer. Well done, sir!