Disability Application Thread 3

Today I got several forms in the mail to fill out. one is about my seizures. I had to call about one question. They wanted to know what happens when i have a seizure. I told the rep, i did not know as it happened while at hosp and i was in a catatonic state at the time. She said just to write that down.

Another form was the functionality form. Going to look over the questions with hubby and fill it out carefully. I also got a form about my jobs for the last 15 years. I only had 1 which i had told them about. It was underlined that they wanted details of job duties. I went into more details, but how descriptive can you get when you work at a call center? I did put in the remarks, that due to strokes i could no longer remember all the steps necessary to do my job and my eyesight has been compromised which makes being on computer all day difficult due to headaches.

Hubby also got forms to fill out.

Wish me luck!

 

They were hard to fill out in my opinion. Afraid of deadline I had to call to social security to get address since the supposedly enclosed envelope was NOT enclosed either in mine or the forms dh got. So could not send out on weekend. Dh hates filling out paperwork so I finally sat at comp and typed his answers. He is copying the answers tonight. They said I could drop them off at the local office tomorrow I will be close to there anyway. I think my life sounds pathetic when it boils down to those questions.

Ok, I just won my disability case. Do yourself a favor, if you get rejected the first time IMMEDIATELY get a lawyer. Find one who does disability claims and one who doesn't get paid unless you win.

It took over 2 and a half years for me to get the SSDI. Getting SSDI due to physical problems is harder than getting it for mental problems. That is why some people who seem far healthier than we are get it faster.

I get SSDI instead of SSI because I have a long work record.

My decision was 'fully favorable' so I get all I asked for. I will get a check for back pay from July 2010. The lawyer gets paid from that. I'll also get medicare right off. Apparently i have it already they just haven't sent my cards yet.

Do yourselves a favor and see doctors and psyche people of your own as well as those social security sends you to. If you have a doctor on your side it's a huge help in winning your case.

SSDI is based on disability and then on how many credits you earned during the years you worked. This year it's about $1100 for each credit and then up to 4 credits a year.

So depending on your age when you are filing for disability, they will calculate whether you had enough credits in the last years you worked.

SSI is based on disability but it's a "needs based" system. This has nothing to do with previous work and only on whether you qualify financially now based on your current finances.

The federal amount given if approved for SSI is a max of $698 a month. However, there are many states that also supplement this if awarded disability. I, unfortunately, do not live in one that does this:(

SSDI amounts are only figured out at the end when approved based on an average of your income over the years you worked.

The website below is the .gov website that details all the info about SSDI...

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10072.html#a0=1

Post Edited (Snowbunny21) : 9/25/2012 10:14:20 AM (GMT-6)

I guess Maine is one of those states Snowbunny as I get quite a bit more than what you stated as the max. Unless the max you gave was for SSI only?

Post Edited (Kaely) : 9/25/2012 11:52:00 AM (GMT-6)

Jeez. So I see the problem. Well, $1100 or so would at least give me a chance. With $600 I don't know what I'll do but I need it regardless which is why I applied.

Thanks for all the info. I'm in PA. I am in my late 30's, and I definitely have 10 years of continuous work. I have been working since 14 and always had two jobs.

My last few years of work were my worst income, so it sucks that they go by that. I was getting sicker and sicker and making less and less. I really didn't make it on that money. I ended up in bankruptcy and I still owe $10K in backtaxes to the IRS. :(

Is there at least enough info on my Soc Sec Earnings paper to calculate a min and max?

Karona,

SSDI depends a lot on yoru years worked and how much you made each year and what type of work you did. If you haven't made very much the past few years your lawyer can put that in as failed attempts to work.

Mine did that but I still made too much in that last year to qualify for benefits for that year. You need to understand that I had a pretty decent job and made good money. My job was also rather specialized.

lady, I am so sorry to hear this! I know exactly what mailbox in the office you are referring to. I have never used it, but I've seen many put their papers in there. I am crossing my fingers for you that the folks in the office held onto them for you. So sorry that you have to wait all weekend like this! You're probably going to flare, I know. *hugs*

The local office seems so much nicer, don't they? Too bad that don't do any of the decision making, just the final payout when you win your case. It is nice to have them to fall back on, though. I would go with what he says over the other guy. You must include what you think will help. It's their job to weed through it anyway. If worse comes to worse, you can get try to get more recent exams on that ankle if you have the money. You get at least 3-4 weeks after they receive your forms to do that. That will bring it up to date. It sucks that "old" injuries or problems don't seem to count as much, when really we stopped trying to get help for it or ran out of money! I have similar issues with my back, so I couldn't include them in my case because I had nothing even near current for it. :(

We are here. Please update us with whatever happens. I know filling all those out again would be a nightmare so I hope you don't have to. There should have been envelopes in the packets and it sucks that you suffer because someone there screwed up. xoxo

I did private Long term disability. I applied in July and just got approved two days ago. They are going to help me apply for SSD.