Social Security Disability

Hi Wicks,
Welcome to HW! I don't get SSD (not yet, at least), but a lot of people on here do. If you do a site search for Social Security Disability or Social Security or SSD, you should find plenty of posts from others in the past. Also, there have been some posts more recently about the topic, so maybe if you even just go back a few pages you will find something.

best wishes,
frances

I have been trying for awhile, be ready for a fight...... some fyi i was given is that depression (and in my case, obesity) out ranks chronic pain..... i know. i know. how is it possible? most of us cp'ers have depression, so if you do- get a psychiatrist & start building a case that way. but i am also 31 so my age (& education level) is against me. good luck- let us know what happens!!

It took me 2 tries before I was approved. I did have a good doctor backing me and he made sure all my records got there but it is true if you just leave it up to the staff they are terrible about copying and sending records. My claim was based on I was totally disabled due to falling down a flight of stairs and breaking my back. I suffer from chronic pain. I had to go in for several medical exams that lasted hours to check on what I could and couldnt do but you have to requests those reports and go through them with a high lighter marker becasue there was many mistakes. For instance in one paragraph it said that I was in so much pain I was unabled to complete some of the tasks the wanted me to complete but then in like the next paragraph they stated there was no reason why I couldnt lift 50 pounds on a regular basis at a job!!!! I found at least 10 of those things. I went through a very long and detailed phych exam and I got to say I embelished it some. I do suffer from depression and PTSD from some very violent past relasionships and a tramatic rape and robbery so I just told them I still had a real problem being around men or working with them and to some extent this is true but I did not hold back with any of the tears when talking about my life dealing with pain and the PTSD stuff ( post tramatic stress disorder)which I had been dx'd with and they wanted to see my records from that too even though its supposed to be private but I gave permission. So based on the screw ups from the 1st time around with my medical appointments it did not go through and thats when I asked for copies so I could go through and point out the discrepencies. I quickly got the ball rolling on the second go around and I did consider getting an attorny but my doctor said that if it went to a 3rd round that most times they just finally give in because they do not want to deal with court but I would have got an attorny if it went that far. Apparently they try to get you to give up with all their exausting tests and interviews. After all the medical tests and tons of medical stuff that I had to back up my claim they finally got me approved on the mental aspect of the case!!! I have been on ssd for 8 years and have had no problems with staying on. They had said they would recheck everything every 2-4 years but that has consisted of sending a one page form to my doctor that basically just asks if I am still disabled and thats it. I have had several other medical things come up since getting approved like diabetes and another fall down the same stairs so more damage to my back and I continue with counseling off and on so they can see that there is still an issue with that. It took me almost 2 years to get approved and I got back pay from the first time I applied so a hefty back pay check when it went through. I did have to pay back the state for medical costs and a small monthly check I recived each month from applying for welfare benifits while I was waiting for the ssd to go through. That payment helped pay off debts that had been building up and to buy things for my apartment that were sorely missing from hardly any income. I also am on Medicaid and that has worked out pretty good. I do have trouble finding some doctors that will accept it, like say allllllllll the pain clinics in my area which equates to my still being on the same dose of pain meds for the last 5 years. But as far as paying out on prescriptions and medical tests like MRI's I am talking big money tests they pay right away. I get better coverage with medicaid on prescriptions and tests then my brothers family does on private insurence!!!! Like name brand drugs and no pre approval for specialists weird huh? I wish you luck and hope it goes through the 1st time. But do make sure that you go over all thier reports to look for discrepencies(sp).

Thank you all so much for your replies. They were so helpful! I am going to file online because the first appointment I could get in my area was on April 10. I am in the process of getting all the records sent over to my ndw CPD.
Warmly,
wicks

Your SS monthly check is based on eight earning quarters. That is why its important to file for SSD immediately and not lose any of the earning quarters. In other words waiting 2-3 years to file can knock you out of some these earning quarters. For folks that have not worked long wnough to meet the eight quarters they have a minimum amt they will pay each month too. Of course the higher wage earner you are the higher the monthly benefit. SS does have a fairly high cap on the benefits, off hand I don't remember the cap.

Susie