Sadly, when applying for Social Security Disability benefits learning what your rights are is something you learn after the fact. Even then, chances are, you may never know what you missed out on. Disability Secrets is one of the most complete web sites and will walk you through the process and explain what your rights are and how to obtain them.
It is information that the Social Security Administration should make easily accessible through their own web site or through their representatives. Considering that 70% of applicants are denied when they first apply suggests that they have set the bar high and are not going to go out of their way to help you easily obtain the benefits for which you are entitled.
Social Security Online Electronic Booklet site has all of the best information that the Social Security Administration has to offer. It is their official site and the publications are authoritative.
Between the two sites mentioned you should be able to find answers to most of your questions.
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Recently I applied for SSDI. I had my interview with a psychiatrist. What should I expect? I have a lawyer that would represent me on an appeal.
Hi John,
The odds are you will denied benefits at the first evaluation, but if you persist the odds work in your favor. A ‘good’ attorney will help you through the bureaucracy and help you understand what responses will be to your benefit and what will get you shown the door.
Good luck
I’m really worried about my case and it is currently being appealed and have submitted for a “Reconsideration” along with a bunch of old Academic records (more like 2 months most recent to about as far back as my kindergarden year). I was receiving Survivors Benefits for a while up until I turned 19 and Four months (usually benefits stop at 18, however, I met the needed exemptions) because I was / am still enrolled in High School. I was supposed to Graduate in ’07 from High School but all my medical conditions have impacted me so badly that it’s very hard to get through it, I failed and now am 2 years behind in school — the only school I can do right now is an online school. This school is very helpful in working with me and my disabilities; I have a 504 plan to accommodate me but, in all reality, it’s not enough. I’m still about a year or so away form Graduating. . . and that’s if (even with meds it’s hard to get through it) I am able to pass all my classes given the hard fact of me being many credits behind.
I am a Smart guy, but, I lack many things that other’s my age do not. I suffer from many mental ielments that impact my every day life such as: Manic Depression; ADHD; OCD; Severe Social Anxiety Disorder; Panic Attacks; Pyscho-Somatic issues like not having feeling in my arm has gotten worse over the last three years since my last exam for my arm (No nerve damage has been verified by a Neurologist) but, even still, I do not have any feeling in my right arm and my Mother believes this is due to my Anxiety Disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorders are also an every day occurrence. I can barely go places because I worry about how people will perceive me, my paranoid disorders really get to me in public because my conditions have gotten worst in the waiting game (for my disability decision… and now even worst because I have been denied)
There are a lot of problems I have and don’t know how to fully emphasis on them. My doctor along with my current High School’s Psych. Counsellor have both drafted and submitted to me a Statement of their opinion’s and what they have notice for my condition’s getting worst every day. I also will be submitting some E.R. visits that prove my conditions to be severe because of how many times I had to go (these are older more like 3 years old–i just acquired them from the Hospital recently because the DDS office couldn’t get them for some reason. They made a decision with-out any of the information I have been talking about in this message.
Usually, with Medication I still have a hard time functioning. I have to use voice recognition software in order to type due to how my arm acts up at moments. I don’t know what to do, I’m so nervous about my case not being approved this time.
How do you suggest I move about my case besides contacting the Examiner often. I mean, is there anything else I can do? A lot of my medical records are not as current as they could be because. I had no possible way to pay for the medical bills. I had no insurance after I turned age 18 — The most recent Insurance I had was no sufficient enough to pay for my prescriptions and Psych. appointments. RIght now, I moved back with my Mother whom has taken care of me since November 23. I moved from Minnesota where I was being treated while I was on my Insurance for the Physical issues (Including Chronic Neck & Back Pain–mainly) while I was on state insurance that covered me until I was 19. Í’m now back in Washington and am filing the appeal here. I have been told that my case will be transfered over to Washington once I file the initial appeal (first level).
Should I request to be seen by a Pyschologist who can give me a new IQ test (the full tests they give ) the last time I was sent to a Pysch. was in Minnesota in October right before my denial. In this test, I started to have an anxiety attack of which I tried my best not to show, but, even still, it showed and I let the Pyscholist know that I was nervous and kept on pacing back and forth worrying about the cars hitting the wall and killing me. I don’t know why but, I couldn’t keep a striaghtr count on some of the questions. I don’t agree with what the statement for my decision as to why I was denied (i combined all my disbilities together but apperently none were “severe” enough ) even though I displayed very nervous behavior. It’s hard for me to function lately and I’m worried about school, my day after day life, the people who watch me all the time and I feel so miserble all the time now! I don’t know how to move about anymore. Medication has never help and even with out it , I am the same.
I’m failing classes right now and am trying my best to get my Grades up and Graduate. I know I can do this but not with out a lot of Accommodations. ultimatley, I hope to work later on when my anxieties and overall mental condtions calm down a bit. But for now, I know I am disabiled because of all that I cannot due and should be able to. My last IQ test states that I have an IQ of 83 (borderline) and this is because of how hard it is for me to funciton in timed settings; worring about what people think of me. My perfectionism get’s in the way of everything. . . 🙁
I JUST HAD AN ANXIETY ATTACK AND MY HEART IS HURTING SO BAD NOW. I don’t know how to deal with this.
Please just respond to this e-mail and don’t publish it.
-Alan P-
Hi
I have been on disability since 2002 when I have to have 9 disks in my back repaired. I am now 50 years old and I am having extreme problems. A month ago I was told I needed to be reviewed and that there is a possibility I would loose these benefits.
I went to a doctor that did not even read my records. A quick once over and out the door. Then to the pych that said that I should consider school and get a new career. At 50 by the time I get out of school I would be 54. He then said there are people in wheelchairs and without arms and legs working. I told him then get me a job with them and I would work. I never asked to be taken care of, Don’t they know that living on a grand isn’t going to get us a Bentley to drive.
I was then told that it is a good chance they would take them away. I said it would of been nice if they offered school 7 years ago. I have looked for work and have been told by every employer that looked at my application then read my injuries thanks and we’ll get back to you… then call them back and you’ll get the position is filled.
Thanks to this government I guess you sweat your whole life supporting a family get hurt and then your told tough crap.
I am so happy I live in the land of the free where you’ll always be taken care of.
As long as the government supports welfare recipients who do NOTHING because they have babies yearly to keep getting more & more free money, those of us that are disabled have to get “re-evaluations” so we can be denied. They need more people to work & pay taxes to support those who don’t want to work. Instead of worrying about those that can’t work.
I am going for my re-evaluation hearing soon and I have horrible nerve damage, the doctor won’t even give me medication for pain, only keeps telling me to let him give me shots into my neck, no how, no way is anyone EVER going to put a needle into my spine.
I too, just LOVE living on $900 a month, trying to support myself & a full time college student, I have electric, gas, phone, car insurance to pay, not to mention, I have to buy food & cleaning supplies, clothing AND social security expects me to keep shelling out $35 to keep going to a doctor. Give the people on disability MEDICAID and give the welfare people medicare. Medicare SUCKS.
Holy Cow! I feel exactly the same way you do and I thought I was the only one. I cannot believe how we as taxpayers who become disabled or retire after working 50-60 years are dealt such a crappy blow by the government.
I have worked and paid taxes since I was 16 years old, like the good little American girl I am but when I need him, where is my Uncle Sam? For 32 years he took my money and said he would keep it safe for me. It would be there for me in case I get sick and can’t work or for when I retire. So now that I am sick, why does he call me a loafer & a faker. He tells me no I cannot have SSDI because I don’t believe you have a seizure disorder, sjogren’s syndrome, fibromyalgia, cervical dystonia, RLS, and migraines and I don’t care if you can’t do the same work you’ve always done. Here I have a job for you, you can be a “Gate Keeper”! What the heck is a gate keeper?
Four years we debate over this before he finally sees the light about the SSDI, but says you still have to take the crappy medical insurance known as Medicare. We are leaving the better coverage known as Medicaid to give to those that are generational welfare recipients, and to those that crossed our borders without permission! They can get better coverage on Medicaid just by asking for it and get approved almost immediately. I just don’t understand it. If anything, this should be the opposite. We, those of us on disability, or receiving a SS pension should be getting Medicaid coverage and services that are available and it should be immediate. Give Medicare to the others that think they are “owed” something and let them deal with the hassels of wondering how they are going to pay their bills, eat, get medical attention, etc. Oh yeah, let’s close our borders to the people that try to come in without permission. Send them back to where they come from.
It’s a pain. I have fibromyalgia. The specialist have all agreed that I have it as well as my opc I have had an MRI go e of my back found small scar tissue on c4-c5 and building disks on l345. Long term disability cut me off cause there doctor said I don’t have any issue that would cause me not to be able to do light duty. However my ex employer said they don’t do light duty. Got denied Ssdi once with appeals so had to refile. Had to start over cause my attorney sucked.
After I was denied LD met life Said they work with alsup to help with ssdi. I tried to find job but can not pass physical. This got very depressing. Suffered greatly from depression for years. Got migraines, chronic pain and fatigue, neck and back pain and also in both legs and hips. Can’t walk stoop bend twist sit. Legs and arms go numb. Wife has to help me out of bed take me to appointments. I can not remember small thugs or what day it is or where I’m going.
I also have either add or bi poler. Have to lay flat for hours at time after do simple tasks. I have no other skills but heavy labor. At last appeal they said there are light duty jobs in the national economy. Who is going to pay to move me to that area and I have taken excessive time off when I did work from pain and stiffness. Can’t not sit in car for more than 10 mins. I agree u pay into it for years but they never want to give it back. If they stop using ssi or Ssdi money for other funding and robbing it blind. I have been off for four years and have three kids. I hate the fact these appeal judge over rule doctors who have been treating you for years and have seen the good and bad in a patient and to have someone who has never seen u or examined you calling the shots is shit for the birds. I lost my job. List my business and my wife is working two jobs just to put gass in the car.
We know we can not get rich off ssdi but it would help people who paid into it for years maintain a little saneness. I do also agree with people on welfare who can work who are on drugs not for medical reasons have kids to get more when we can not get any or little assistance. The sad thing is if u have a house or care you obligated for years to pay on it otherwise u loose it all and now even if you could go back to work you have no address or transportation to get there. I have had 6. Proceedures on my back in three months. I have been in worse pain and not have even a harder time getting around. Nothing seems to help. Doctors have seen how much pain I have been I but still say from a neuro stand point nothing is wrong. the government wants more and more but never wants to see turn to the people what they paid for. We are not lazy we are injuried.
I’m a 58 year old male. Recently diagnosed with epilepsy.
Worked most of my life. Heavy aircraft repair tech.
Medically laid off 2010.
Neurologist did confirm
Temporal mesial sclerosis by MRI imaging.
Have short term memory problem.
I was tested by 2 Physiologists and was diagnosed as having severe short term memory issues. Long term memory is perfectly fine.
I went to my doctors and obtained all my medical records and gave copies to my lawyer.
6 months later, Today I got a call from the lawyer that I have been approved!
My best advice, Get all your medical documentation, present copies to your lawyer.
Be honest with evaluators, don’t try and fool anyone by making it sound worst than it really is. Just be honest and if tested, try your best.