Great link for applying for Disability or SSI

This link explains everything you need to do to apply. You can either apply for SSI, which does take your income into consideration or SSD, which goes by if you worked long enough and paid taxes.

http://www.ssa.gov/d&s1.htm


This site is a list of impairments that they cover. Lyme Disease is listed but it seems like they cover more of what it does to the body like Inflammatory Arthritis or RA. From what I've read, it looks like you need to have either fatigue, malaise, cognitive problems, etc along with the Arthritis. That's what I understood anyway. I may be wrong.

http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm

Social Security is requiring me to get a Physical Exam by a doctor they select. A month ago I had a pschiatric exam.
I am going for SSD. I haven't worked since 11/07. But before that I've worked for about 35 years.

Anyone have advice or can share experience about the Physical exam?

I may post my question as a new topic.

saxmar

saxmar - I listed in another posting that I had approx. 400+ pages of medical documentation.... and the state had 3 - haha! 2 of those pages were 1 each from the medical doctor and the pshrink. It is my understanding that they found me "not disabled".... but the process was a joke. The medical doctor did a cursory examination and asked a few questions. The pshrink visit was even more dubious.... he even asked me if I had attempted suicide... I said "yes" - although I only took 5 Xanax and knew I'd "wake up". Both of these doctor exams were less than 10 minutes each.

I think what helped me were the following:

1. I had an excellent work history since the age of 13. And, in the job I was disabled from, I had 2 "excellent" performance reviews.
2. I had mounds of documentation.
3. I was lucky enough to have about 3 LD tests. The 1st I was EIA positive but WB negative. The next I was EIA positive and had a few bands (can't remember which ones). And on the 3rd I was EIA and WB positive... and CDC positive.
4. I had multiple other medical conditions that were documented; chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, carpal tunnel, Reynauds, Ehler-Danols (very mild).
5. I was denied 2x and missed the cut-off date for my 2nd appeal. When I re-applied I hired a lawyer. (I had to apply for SSDI, since it was a requirement of my employer's LTD policy).

After the lawyer took over, I was finally approved. I didn't have to go to court, the judge reviewed the paperwork and granted the disability. In her order she cited my previous "excellent" work history, my multiple medical conditions and the State's complete lack of documentation. In so many words the judge said "at some point the State has to prove she is not disabled because the documentation obviously sumbitted was so overwhelming....blah blah blah".

Also, I really think that unless you're (and I don't mean any disrespect) a quadrapalgiac, have lost a limb, or are brain-dead that SSDI automatically denies everyone. I don't think this is the case now, but I understand at one point that even HIV/AIDS patiets had to have a certain level of T-cells (I don't know if that's a low or a high number) before they were considered "disabled". I have a friend with Hep. C who has failed interfuron treatments twice and was STILL denied on his first application.... he's hired my lawyer for his appeal.

I think you just have to keep plugging away at it. Hiring a lawyer took some of the back benefit $$$ away, but it was worth it. They kept up with all of the SSDI requests and reminded me when I needed to do something.... they scheduled my (state) doctor appointments, etc. etc. They just took it out of my hands because I literally could not keep up with it all. So, for me, it was worth the money.

Hope all of this helps.