Social Security - VENT

catkiki · Jan 30, 2008

I really need to vent here... I filed an appeal for my hubby's Social Security Disability... I called the 1-800 number and Social Security does not have a record of his appeal!!! They didn't even have our current address!! I gave all the info in October!! They said I would have to contact the local office where I sent the forms to. We went to his doctor today and they STILL haven't requested the info!!! After my doctor's appointment later today, we are going down there to see what the heck is going on!!! I sure hope that we don't have to start over again... I filed the appeal in the time frame required... I will be surprised if my BP is not elevated when I go to my appointment...

Stupid Social Security gives disability benefits to drug addicts and people in their 20's that should be able to work but a 56 yr old man that worked all his life and paid into the fund and NEEDS the benefits gets denied!!!!

Thanks for letting me vent!!!

sillylilykitty · Jan 30, 2008

Wow....that sucks. Sometimes I have to wonder about the US government....

I wish you the best of luck and hope you do get the benefits!

butzie · Jan 30, 2008

There is a commercial here for a law firm that specializes in Social Security cases. I always thought it is one of those ambulance chaser types of law firms, but after reading to your story, I think that there is a need for legal help. I would look for some pro bono work from a law firm to help you, not the guys that advertise on TV. Good luck!
To say something nice about the Social Security Administration - they paid me death benefits from my father who died when I was 14. They never missed a payment and no grief. The money really helped when I was in college.

persi & alley · Jan 30, 2008

Originally Posted by Catkiki

I really need to vent here... I filed an appeal for my hubby's Social Security Disability... I called the 1-800 number and Social Security does not have a record of his appeal!!! They didn't even have our current address!! I gave all the info in October!! They said I would have to contact the local office where I sent the forms to. We went to his doctor today and they STILL haven't requested the info!!! After my doctor's appointment later today, we are going down there to see what the heck is going on!!! I sure hope that we don't have to start over again... I filed the appeal in the time frame required... I will be surprised if my BP is not elevated when I go to my appointment...

Stupid Social Security gives disability benefits to drug addicts and people in their 20's that should be able to work but a 56 yr old man that worked all his life and paid into the fund and NEEDS the benefits gets denied!!!!

Thanks for letting me vent!!!

You deserve to vent! I figured out once how much I have paid into SS and how much I am getting now and I will have to live to be 107 to get back what I have paid in (remembering that my company matched my contribution).

catkiki · Jan 30, 2008

Well, we went down to the Social Security office after my doctor's appointment. At first they couldn't even find his appeal but when I showed them the confirmation that I got when I made the appeal on the internet, she went to the back and told us they DO have the appeal... I wonder if it had gotten "lost" and they just now found it... But hopefully we will hear soon. If it is denied this second time, then we will call an attorney. I know that they take about 20% of the back benefits, but that is a small price to pay to get this approved. I know that, once approved, they pay you from the date you first applied, so that will be from LAST February... And at over $1200 a month, it will be a nice chunk of change even if we need to get an attorney.

theimp98 · Jan 30, 2008

it rough, My doctor wants me to apply for it, But i dont see any reason to. If i was home i would be playing on the computer all night, which is what i do for a living anyway.

But my doctor told me that if i wanted to apply the best way was to get lawyer to deal with SS

laureen227 · Jan 30, 2008

Originally Posted by Persi & Alley

You deserve to vent! I figured out once how much I have paid into SS and how much I am getting now and I will have to live to be 107 to get back what I have paid in (remembering that my company matched my contribution).

tell me about it! i worked in the private sector for 15 years, & paid SS every one of those years. now i work for the state, & don't pay SS... when i retire, i'll have to work at least 1 more year in a job where i pay SS again if i want to see any of it. it ought to work like any retirement program - if you're vested, you get it, period, regardless of any other retirement you get. but it doesn't

strange_wings · Jan 30, 2008

You definitely need a lawyer, you also need to know what is written in the medical files. Sometimes wording or one doctor's negative opinion can be a big problem.

Originally Posted by Catkiki

Stupid Social Security gives disability benefits to drug addicts and people in their 20's that should be able to work but a 56 yr old man that worked all his life and paid into the fund and NEEDS the benefits gets denied!!!!

I agree with you about the drug addicts and that your husband should have his benefits. But the part about "people in their 20's that should be able to work", how do you know that these people don't have serious health problems? It is just because they "look" healthy? Because they can slap on a cheerful face for a short while and fake that everything is ok? Diseases and disabilities don't care about your age or who you are.

kittkatt · Jan 30, 2008

Originally Posted by Catkiki

Stupid Social Security gives disability benefits to drug addicts and people in their 20's that should be able to work but a 56 yr old man that worked all his life and paid into the fund and NEEDS the benefits gets denied!!!!

Thanks for letting me vent!!!

I can totally relate to how you're feeling!

I'm in the process of trying to get disability too, for a deteriorating spinal condition. I've been denied twice now (I won't bore you with all the details), and now have to go before a judge. Like you say, they'll give benefits to drug addicts and other peeps who don't need it, but the ones who do deserve and need it, have to fight them every step of the way!

My brother, who's an alchoholic, gets disability: to me, that just isn't right.

I have social security advocates working on my case now. If you're interested in the name of the firm, just send me a PM and I'll give you the info...

Good luck! I know how it is!

~KK~

dragoriana · Jan 30, 2008

Um. If social security is the same as unemployment benifits, can i mention that i am actually in my 20s and on this, or will i get my head bitten off? My mother is the sole provider, my father cannot find work, so while i look for work, this money allows me to pay rent, and i no longer ask my mother for money for my travel, clothing, groceries, meds/gp appointments etc.

Does this make me a bad person? I've never been addicted to any sort of drugs or alcohol either.

And i have numerous people out of home that i answer to, to help me look for work. I don't sit at home 24/7.

*shrugs*

theimp98 · Jan 30, 2008

Originally Posted by Dragoriana

Um. If social security is the same as unemployment benifits,
*shrugs*

naw, its not the same thing.

catkiki · Jan 30, 2008

Originally Posted by KittKatt

I can totally relate to how you're feeling!

I'm in the process of trying to get disability too, for a deteriorating spinal condition. I've been denied twice now (I won't bore you with all the details), and now have to go before a judge. Like you say, they'll give benefits to drug addicts and other peeps who don't need it, but the ones who do deserve and need it, have to fight them every step of the way!

My brother, who's an alchoholic, gets disability: to me, that just isn't right.

I have social security advocates working on my case now. If you're interested in the name of the firm, just send me a PM and I'll give you the info...

Good luck! I know how it is!

~KK~

I might do that... I am going to wait until we get an answer. The thing is, in the first denial, they didn't even CONTACT my husband's current doctor, just the doctor from 10 yrs ago when he was able to work. His condition has considerably worsened in 10 years.

I agree with you about the drug addicts and that your husband should have his benefits. But the part about "people in their 20's that should be able to work", how do you know that these people don't have serious health problems? It is just because they "look" healthy? Because they can slap on a cheerful face for a short while and fake that everything is ok? Diseases and disabilities don't care about your age or who you are.

I know that there are people in their 20's who deserve disability and I am not talking about them, but there are a lot of people that age who abuse the system. Just because someone is in a wheelchair, blind ormissing a limb can do some type of work. I have a friend who has been in a wheelchair all his life. He is missing a leg and the other is dwarfed. *He could be on disability but he isn't. He works with computers at a desk job.

catkiki · Jan 30, 2008

Originally Posted by Dragoriana

Um. If social security is the same as unemployment benifits,

Not the same at all. Social Security is something you pay into and the company you work for pays also. It is for when you retire or in my hubby's case, when you can't work due to a disability. Unemployment benefits are issued by each state when you get laid off. Social Security is national. So I won't bite your head off.. LOL

dragoriana · Jan 30, 2008

Originally Posted by Catkiki

Not the same at all. Social Security is something you pay into and the company you work for pays also. It is for when you retire or in my hubby's case, when you can't work due to a disability. Unemployment benefits are issued by each state when you get laid off. Social Security is national. So I won't bite your head off.. LOL

Oh. We call it superannuation here.

gailc · Jan 31, 2008

Good luck in getting everything straightened out. My SIL who had her stroke (1 year ago today) has been getting her ss benefits ok but as she is in a nursing home she is having problems with medicare/medicaid paying for her PT. So its alot of work to get that figured out.

cattybird · Jan 31, 2008

I feel for you. I remember the big runaround that SS gave me when I was trying to get disability. I wonder if anyone gets it easily?

EnzoLeya · Jan 31, 2008

Oh my gosh I would be furious too!!! SS is a joke sometimes!!! I'm really glad I haven't had to deal with them very much. I got SS checks when my dad died but they were more than happy to stopped paying me the day I graduated high school!!! I was a little upset, because that money would have been really nice to get in college.

goldenkitty45 · Jan 31, 2008

I work directly with SS disability cases (at the hearing level before the judges). If you can prove you filed within the time frame, then they can put an report of contact in the file that shows good cause for filing late.

Most times you really should be going directly to the district office to file, but you can file online. And SSA doesn't pay drug addicts. It may seem like it, but many of them are turned down. Benefits are not paid just for alcohol or drug addition - you have to have other disabilities.

You may have to file a reconsideration on it if you get turned down the first time. And if you're turned down for the recon, then file for a hearing before the Adminstrative Law Judge to plead your case. You don't have to have a representative, but many times you'll get benefits with one. Check with Legal Aide in your state to help you file the proper forms.

Sad thing, that with the current backlog across the county its 18 months or so from the date the request for hearing is filed before you get a chance to go before the judge. We are short staffed and judges can only hear so many hearings in a week. In our office right now, we just went over 10,000 pending cases! And we were one of the offices that were doing good in trying to get them out faster. There are other offices in the country with well over 10,000 cases - some are so bad, they are shipping the cases to other offices to try and get help.

What makes me so mad is people filing for disability for their kids....disability??? ADHD/ADD and these are clogging the system - they are almost always denied at the hearing level. But its a waste of time for us and the judge for these mothers applying for all their kids who happened to be ADD!

catkiki · Jan 31, 2008

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I work directly with SS disability cases (at the hearing level before the judges). If you can prove you filed within the time frame, then they can put an report of contact in the file that shows good cause for filing late.

We went down to the local office yesterday afternoon. At first they could not find his appeal in the computer, but she went in the back and they do have the forms that we mailed back to them. I was just upset that when they denied him the first time, it was from information that they got from his OLD dr from 10 years ago and not his CURRENT doctor. It is his new doctor that states he is disabled. I just hope that it doesn't have to go to a judge.

On another note, my brother, who is on disability, was approved the first time!!

kittkatt · Jan 31, 2008

Originally Posted by Catkiki

I might do that... I am going to wait until we get an answer. The thing is, in the first denial, they didn't even CONTACT my husband's current doctor, just the doctor from 10 yrs ago when he was able to work. His condition has considerably worsened in 10 years.

They never contacted all of my doctors, either - and my condition goes back to when I was in my early twenties (I'm 49 now). It's part of their stupid little game that they play with you, to try and get you to give up & quit. If you tell them you can't stand for any length of time due to your condition, they'll tell you that you can get a desk job. If you tell them you can't sit for long periods of time either, they'll say that you're not mentally ill and can do some type of work. Believe me - I know. They'll try and trip you up on every thing you say. It's nothing but a game to them. When I had my phone interview, they asked me if I was on any kind of medication: I told them what the docs had prescribed for me - one of the prescriptions being Xanaxx for anxiety attacks. So they sent me to a quack of a shrink, who "interviewed" me for about half an hour, and who said I wasn't mentally imbalanced. I never CLAIMED to be mentally imbalanced, and that's not what I was filing a claim for anyway. But they "used" that against me, and said I was perfectly capable of working b/c the quacky shrink told them I wasn't nuts. And around & around it goes. They'll try to use any means they can to get out of paying anyone disability..

It's all a game, and you're better off hiring someone who knows how to beat them, and who knows the ropes, so to speak. If you tackle it on your own, you could be fighting it for years - and even then you may not win the case.

The firm that took my case took over in the middle of it all: it doesn't matter how far into it you are - they'll take the reigns and handle most of the "dirty work" for you. And you don't have to pay them unless they win your case - that's the best part. You don't lose any money, even if they don't win it for you.

I hope it goes better for you & your husband than it has so far for me. But if you decide to go that route, I'll gladly give you the info..

~kk~

Social Security - VENT

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