Disability Question
Last edited Fri Oct 18, 2019, 03:18 PM - Edit history (1)
I filed all the paperwork, got rejected after disability's alleged exams, and have just appealed that decision online and included a bunch of documentation that they admitted in their rejection that they didn't even consider.
I was on disability in 1994-1996 and got back to work and was cut off then. I have a partially paralyzed leg with severe constant nerve pain, and over 23 years of Tramadol maximum dosage per day just to function. The nerve pain is from nerve damage in my pelvis that caused a condition diagnosed in 1994 as Causalgia, which Social Security knows and that condition never went away. The leg is now severely atrophied below the knee, and has a steel plate and 17 screws in my femur and knee, which has felt like it is exploding out of my leg for the last few years. On top of that, I have been type 1 diabetic for 35 years and have hypothyroid disease, which both never remain regulated because both keep disrupting each other to keep everything thrown off. In short, I end up having a lot of black out moments as well, which has terrified me into becoming a shut in. I also have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, which the Social Security Medical exam recorded as 159/upper 80s even though I am on 2 blood pressure scripts. I'm not done... In 2013, I worked right up to a quad cardiac bypass where half my heart was blocked from getting blood and had to go back to work exactly 6 weeks later, despite complications from that which are recorded in documentation.
I have basically gotten to the point where I am dying and have no means to survive anymore. Don't they even give a damn that I have already killed myself trying, before turning to them as a last resort? For the last decade, co-workers ask why I am not on disability, which I always responded by telling them that this country really doesn't have a safety net like they think. I started a sharp decline in my ability to even manage functioning from 2012, when I took a medical leave for my crippled leg and the diabetes, thyroid, & blood pressure and maxed out that and had to go back to work. I have always pushed myself into the ground and endured miserable pain with the leg since going back to work in the 90s, where I could only invest on recovery each day just to be able to work the next. That means no life, except focusing on being well enough to work the next day and using weekends for recuperation periods. I haven't been able to do that the last couple years. I started out going several months, then quickly nose dived with all health problems going wrong, but even that got to the point where I could only go days before going down again, and I cannot even try anymore. For over 20 years I have had to lie to myself, telling myself nothing is wrong with me, just to be able to do the impossible of working a normal work day to be normal. Now I can't do that anymore. Social Security's denial didn't even look at my whole leg and only wanted snapshots of my knee and lower leg, then focused on that while barely mentioning that 'I claimed' that I had other medical problems, which may prevent me from some work. In other words, go be a Walmart greeter, which I cannot even attempt that anymore. If I had known back in 1994 how Social Security is treating me now, I would have saved myself all the misery of trying and just killed myself then.
So, do I even have a chance at getting approved, because I am so sick of Social Security getting pissed at me for having too many things wrong that they don't even want to consider?
UPDATE EDIT:
I finally had to get an attorney and went in front of a judge with only a 40% approval rate. My attorney was astonished during the Hearing that the Social Security representative remained silent the whole time and offered no argument at all. Even though the decision was not made at the end of the Hearing, the judge awarded everything in my favor. My attorney (older and very experienced) was astonished that the judge's decision came back so quickly and told me that my case was the fastest turn-around he has ever seen, especially lately. Getting paid by Social Security monthly still went by snail speed and they still owe my back pay, and nobody can tell me that it doesn't have anything to do with leveraged debt against the Trust Fund and previous sequestration republicans used to chip away at Social Security.
The oddest thing happened at the end of my Hearing... I was given the opportunity to say something, and I am not someone that is comfortable with speaking in front of people. I honestly did not remember anything I said and it was almost like a blackout, but I remember getting worried at the end that I was taking too long and came back to myself to finish up. Obviously nervous at what the hell I said, I looked around to everyone trying to get an indication of how bad I had done. They all just had astonished faces and it seemed like they were really trying to keep their composure. Upon getting out of the Hearing, my attorney told me that I was excellent and I was getting my disability. To this day, I still cannot remember what I said and I have a photographic memory.
Here is the icing on the cake - I read the judge's decision and came across a section he used in deciding my case. The judge ruled that the previous 6 years of me trying to stay off of disability with doctor releases to return to work in each of those years had been used against me as Social Security's excuse to keep denying me, so he tossed all of them out. Even though it proved that I could not work a full year anymore without multiple medical problems going wrong over and over, Social Security used that against me!
= new reply since forum marked as read
you cannot work for at least 12 months. Do you have this letter? If not, get it from every MD that you see. An NP is good as well. This is the MOST important document that you can get.
The more you appeal, the greater your odds of getting it. But just to be clear, make sure you get that letter. It must state just what I said. Make an appointment with your MD and explain the situation. They are well aware of disability requirements. If they don't want to write it, ask why. Do they think you can work?
If you see anyone else with a clinical license, get a letter from them. Have it outline the jobs you have tried and why (again) you cannot work for more than 1 year.
Also - Make sure you see all of the clinical assessments that went to them. Some people just sign a release at SSI and never look through their paperwork. When I got it for clients, I'd request all of it and then re-release it (I could in my capacity for the state) to SSI as a packet. That way, I could omit what wasn't helpful and re-request what never arrived (just because you request it doesn't mean medical records actually sends it).
BTW, I used to get SSI/SSDI for my clients as a case manager (so I kind of know what I'm talking about 
.
The OP needs an SS attorney.
The OP doesn't state that they have one.
If the OP does not have one, well get one before it is too late!
It's a test to show your abilities to work, what you can do, what you can't. takes about 3 hours. I suggest you try as hard as you can comfortably do, and be very honest about your pain and limitations. They are trained to spot people not giving 100%. It's a good weapon in you arsenal. I am in the same boat as you except I haven't been rejected "yet". My doctors have said if I keep working I could lose the use of my arms or become a paraplegic. Good Luck, working in pain sucks!!!
