Disability ?

Im new to the forum. i have fibro and type 1 diabetes. My father has harped at me alot to try and get disability. My dr stated that he dont want me to do anything repatitious or sit/stand for more then 2 hrs at t ime. i currently provide childcare in my home, which allows me to sit/stand as needed. Take a rest with kiddos by reading a book or get up and be silly. i keep the number of kids at a level where i can still be able to take it easy if needed and all my parents are aware. I dont make much but ? the idea if i could qualify or would for disability? Or how to go about it etc? any advice would ebe great. My fibro flairs up alot and dr is now thinking i may have some arthritis in my knees and my bad in my left ankle.

You need to go on-line and fill out the social security disability application.
You also need to make sure your doctor(s) will back you up. In a few days you will receive several packages of forms to fill out and return within 10 days. Yep, 10 days (best to fax them back).
You need to prove that you can not continue working.
It will take from 3-5 months to hear back and good chance it's not. But don't fret, 80% of people get turned down. Then you can get a lawyer to avocate for you. He gets 25% of your backpay or nothing at all depending on if you win the case. Most of the time you wind up winning.

I was denied twice before I was finally accepted, so don't be discouraged or surprised if they tell you no the first time.

- Rainy

I've been reading quite a few of these replies. I'm very new to this forum format- but felt strongly that if at ALL possible consult a disability attorney. Not just one who says he does disability besides divorce, etc.. I know this will be hard but I live in a relatively small city and we luckily have a certified social security disability attorney. I had been turned down once and then I called his office. They led me step by step- they don't get any money unless you get your disability and at least our state is was a limited amount (around $2500 I believe).

I agree for some reason Disability Judges are swayed with mental ilness diagnoses. I addtionally have bipolar disease Type I, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, fibromyalgia (with Dr. documentation of his care and his assessment)- My Psychiatrist info is all the Disability Judge wanted to talk about. I had to go before a Social Security Judge to be approved, my attorney went with me and I had a favorable outcome. I had been trying almost 3 years to get it. But afterall, well worth it.

Really make the call to a Social Security Attorney- made all the difference. Also takes alot of stress off of you.

I've had my SS disability about 3 years now- I'm from SC and I do stand corrected, here's the exact quote:"no more than 25% of past due benefits or $5300 ( or a higher amount we set and announced in The Federal Register). In addtion any fees incurred for cost of getting Doctors' or Hospitals' records. So I do stand corrected. I actually found the contract I signed with him and it was stated very clearly.
I did pay him $250 initially. Well worth every penny.

I was unable to do any of the paperwork required for the initial request (as per my conditions) so he did it for me. I was denied 3 times and then a Social Security hearing. I began with the attorney in 2007 and received a favorable decision April 2010. They looked at the years 2004 to 2009. (I had 2 private disability insurances of which both I was given within 6 mos to a year (as stated in their contracts) after my disability begun April 2004. I had delayed seeking Social Security because of the bad experiences I kept hearing about but went to the Attorney and let him handle it.

They asked to see my Social Security annual statement so they could let me know how much I could look to receive in past dues and monthly. You must have enough in Social Security monies to receive it. I had 26 years of paying into Social Security.

Hope that clears a few things up.

Very interesting! I got on the ss site and read this. When I first got denied and then appealed, I guess I got a letter from them saying the lawyer could charge 25% or $6000, whichever was less, so I assumed it was the same for everyone; so, I guess it depends on what the ss decides is a fair fee depending on what you're getting and how much the lawyer has worked on the case.

For Your Protection
Until you receive notice that SSA has approved a fee, you should not pay your representative unless the payment is held in an escrow or trust account. If you are charged or pay any money after you receive your copy of this petition but before you receive notice of the fee amount your representative may charge, report this to SSA immediately.

What Happens Next
No matter what you may have agreed to in writing, SSA decides how much your representative may charge you for his or her services. SSA must decide what is a reasonable fee for the work your representative did, keeping in mind the purpose of the social security or supplemental security income program. SSA does not automatically approve 25 percent of any past-due benefits as a reasonable fee. SSA must consider the (1) extent and type of services the representative performed; (2) complexity of your case; (3) level of skill and competence required of your representative in giving the services; (4) amount of time he or she spent on your case; (5) results achieved; (6) levels of review to which your representative took your claim and at which he or she became your representative; and (7) amount of fee he or she requests, including any amount requested or authorized before but excluding any amount of expenses incurred. SSA also considers the amount of benefits payable, if any, but approves a fee amount based on all the factors given here. This is because the amount of benefits payable to you is determined by the law and regulations, not by your representative's efforts. Also, the amount of past-due benefits may depend on the length of time that has gone by since your effective date of entitlement.

What Happens Later
SSA will send you a written notice showing the fee amount your representative may charge you based on this request. If you disagree with the amount approved, you must write to say you disagree and to give your reasons, sending your letter to the SSA office address shown on the "Authorization to Charge and Receive a Fee" within 30 days of the date on that notice. You may disagree with the fee approved, even if you do not disagree now with the fee amount your representative is requesting. The law and regulations say that part of any past-due social security or supplemental security income benefits payable to you, under Title II or Title XVI of the Social Security Act must be used toward the payment of your representative's fee if he or she is an attorney or a non-attorney whom SSA has found eligible to receive direct payment. The amount SSA may pay your attorney or eligible non-attorney directly is the smallest of the following:
•
twenty-five percent (25%), or one-fourth, of the total past-due benefits payable to you as a result of the claim;
•
the fee amount approved; or
•
the amount which you and your attorney or eligible non-attorney agreed upon as the fee for his or her services (shown on the reverse in item 2 of this petition).
SSA will not pay a fee to an attorney or non-attorney representative if you discharged the representative or he or she withdrew from representing

Wow bwfm- you're very well versed in disability requirements. Great write-up! Only can say what I wrote above is what happened to me at that time.

Yes. If you can work then you shouldn't file anyway.

If I could hold down any job I'd be out there working my tail off.