Re: Question for folks who are on disability

[Guest guest]

Social Security sees things in black and white...either you are 100% disabled in their eyes, in which case they give you benefits (usually after making you reapply several times), or they consider you zero percent disabled, which means they give you nothing. The amount you receive at the time you start receiving benefits will never go up if you develop more health problems in the future. The only time it goes up is for small cost-of-living increases about once a year. And the extent of your health problems does not determine your amount of benefit at the time of approval or any other time with them. The benefit amount you receive, once approved, is only determined by how much you paid into their system, and for how long.

~Carolyn

In a message dated 5/19/06 6:19:18 A.M. Central Daylight Time, bahadreama@... writes:

this one is for those who get social security disability -- what percent disabled are you??Is anybody considered to be 100% disabled?

[Guest guest]

I get social security disability, but do not recall them ever stating

a percentage to me. On what correspondence would it have been?

loriann

>

> this one is for those who get social security disability -- what

> percent disabled are you??

>

> Is anybody considered to be 100% disabled?

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

After fighting for it for over a year, and

with the help of an attorney, I was finally awarded SSDI. It was difficult

because SS does not recognize scoliosis/flatback syndrome/complications from

fusions as conditions that are disabling. My lawyer took great pains – in

letters and, finally, before a judge – to explain that I cannot sit or

stand long enough to work full-time at any job. It finally worked.

My case was probably helped by the

multiple letters and reports obtained from all my medical caregivers, including

my surgeon (Boachie), rheumatologist, primary care doctor, and psychiatrist.

Even so, SS required me to see their own orthopedic MD (an idiot who didn’t

know how to evaluate my surgery so he only wrote in his report the dimensions

of my scars!), and their own psychologist (who was honest enough to tell me

that she believes I’m in physical and emotional pain but she didn’t

think SS would see those as sufficiently disabling).

I saw that on the final ruling, a lot of weight

was given to the fact that I had come off of morphine too quickly and had a

true, clinical withdrawal a few months after my revision surgery. That, of

course, has absolutely no bearing on my condition or ability to function at the

time I applied for Disability.

So I think getting Disability, at least in

Massachusetts, is both an uphill battle and a crapshoot. In order to be granted

it you have to be totally disabled (there’s no such thing as being

partially disabled – it’s all or nothing), but because you’re

not applying for the standard reasons (cardiac and pulmonary) people apply for,

and get, Disability, you definitely need a lawyer. Thankfully, at least here,

lawyers typically take a percentage of what you “win” as their fee and

only get paid if they win your case.

I hope that helps!

Andy (Concord MA)

Question

for folks who are on disability

this

one is for those who get social security disability -- what

percent disabled are you??

Is anybody considered to be 100% disabled?

[Guest guest]

After a 6 yr. "battle" with the Soc.Sec disability system (in 2 different states!), I FINALLY gave up trying to do it on my own and obtained a disability attorney. Then and only then was I determined to be 100% disabled and eligable for benefits. I strongly recommed that anyone with Flatback Syndrome who is attempting to get SS Disability benefits, to do some serious research into competent disability attys. PRIOR to your initial filing. I don't know exact stats, but the majority of people who file for SSD because of back/spine problems are initially denied benefits. And most disability attys will not accept a case until that first denial is received. By having the atty. lined up you can save quite a bit of time...time that many of us can not afford ($$ speaking). Another fact to keepin the back of your mind...Flatback Syndrome is a relatively new reason for disability. Many disability attys. have

no idea what it even is...mine had never heard the term but knew what Scoliosis was. He began researching my case by reading the article by Mina that I pulled off the computer for him!! After that, I sent him every fact-based article on Flatback Syndrome that I could find; and hhis research asst. did her own digging. Eventually "we" compiled a case that was precise, comprehensive and convincing to the judge. Best of luck to anyone trying for disability benefits!! Beth > wrote: this one is for those who get social security disability -- what percent disabled are you??Is anybody considered to be 100% disabled?

Sneak preview the all-new .com. It's not radically different. Just radically better.

[Guest guest]

how odd. a friend of mine has been applying for disability and

referred me to social security's website. Scoliosis IS listed as a

disabling condition, as is spinal stenosis.

one reason I was wondering about disability is because my student

loans are killing me. I tried to find out if I might qualify for

having a portion of them forgiven, because according to the No Child

Left Behind act, highly qualified math teachers in high poverty

schools are supposed to qualify for $17500 worth of loan

forgiveness. There are a lot of loopholes, though, and I don't

qualify. It seems I have only two ways to eliminate my debt --

death (and I was glad to find out my kids won't have to pay that

bill), and 100% disability for three years.

I had a workman's comp case a few years ago, and one of the doctors

said I had a " 20% disability " before the accident at work.

I think I owe over $60000, so I was curious if the disability option

was at all feasible, especially since it is getting harder to keep

working.

>

> After fighting for it for over a year, and with the help of an

attorney, I

> was finally awarded SSDI. It was difficult because SS does not

recognize

> scoliosis/flatback syndrome/complications from fusions as

conditions that

> are disabling.

[Guest guest]

bahadreama,

Before you apply for Social Security disability, I advise reading

their entire website and the links at the left of it:

http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/index.htm

When your work gets to the point that you just can't do it any more,

then I would say it's definitely the right time to apply for disability.

loriann

>

> how odd. a friend of mine has been applying for disability and

> referred me to social security's website. Scoliosis IS listed as a

> disabling condition, as is spinal stenosis.

>

> one reason I was wondering about disability is because my student

> loans are killing me. I tried to find out if I might qualify for

> having a portion of them forgiven, because according to the No Child

> Left Behind act, highly qualified math teachers in high poverty

> schools are supposed to qualify for $17500 worth of loan

> forgiveness. There are a lot of loopholes, though, and I don't

> qualify. It seems I have only two ways to eliminate my debt --

> death (and I was glad to find out my kids won't have to pay that

> bill), and 100% disability for three years.

>

> I had a workman's comp case a few years ago, and one of the doctors

> said I had a " 20% disability " before the accident at work.

>

>

> I think I owe over $60000, so I was curious if the disability option

> was at all feasible, especially since it is getting harder to keep

> working.

[Guest guest]

I don't think partial disability would work.

If the interest rate is high, you might try paying it off with a home

equity loan or other type of low interest/consolidation loan.

Wow, how did you owe that much money? What happened after

graduation? Couldn't you find a job?

As for teachers, you might try moving to a state that would issue you

an emergency credential.

NB

At 12:18 PM 5/19/2006, you wrote:

>how odd. a friend of mine has been applying for disability and

>referred me to social security's website. Scoliosis IS listed as a

>disabling condition, as is spinal stenosis.

>

>one reason I was wondering about disability is because my student

>loans are killing me. I tried to find out if I might qualify for

>having a portion of them forgiven, because according to the No Child

>Left Behind act, highly qualified math teachers in high poverty

>schools are supposed to qualify for $17500 worth of loan

>forgiveness. There are a lot of loopholes, though, and I don't

>qualify. It seems I have only two ways to eliminate my debt --

>death (and I was glad to find out my kids won't have to pay that

>bill), and 100% disability for three years.

>

>I had a workman's comp case a few years ago, and one of the doctors

>said I had a " 20% disability " before the accident at work.

>

>

>I think I owe over $60000, so I was curious if the disability option

>was at all feasible, especially since it is getting harder to keep

>working.

>

>

[Guest guest]

At 10:55 AM 5/19/2006, Beth Bunce wrote:

>After a 6 yr. " battle " with the Soc.Sec disability system (in 2

>different states!), I FINALLY gave up trying to do it on my own and

>obtained a disability attorney. Then and only then was I determined

>to be 100% disabled and eligable for benefits.

>

>I strongly recommed that anyone with Flatback Syndrome who is

>attempting to get SS Disability benefits, to do some serious

>research into competent disability attys.

>PRIOR to your initial filing. I don't know exact stats, but the

>majority of people who file for SSD because of back/spine problems

>are initially denied benefits. And most disability attys will not

>accept a case until that first denial is received. By having the

>atty. lined up you can save quite a bit of time...time that many of

>us can not afford ($$ speaking).

How do you find a good attorney?

>

>Another fact to keepin the back of your mind...Flatback Syndrome is

>a relatively new reason for disability.

What about Scoliosis? On my form, I put Scoliosis and Arthritis.

in Oakland

[Guest guest]

At 10:50 AM 5/19/2006, Andy Stanton wrote:

Hi,

After fighting for it for over a year, and with the help of an attorney,

I was finally awarded SSDI. It was difficult because SS does not

recognize scoliosis/flatback syndrome/complications from fusions as

conditions that are disabling.

This is the first I've heard of this. I've seen others on the lists

who have received SS Disability for Scoliosis and complications from

fusions.

My lawyer took great pains – in letters and, finally, before a

judge – to explain that I cannot sit or stand long enough to work

full-time at any job. It finally worked.

I was just denied (although they " forgot " to send a letter, and

blame the computer!) because I filled everything out online, and then was

missing one piece of paperwork!

I had to start all over again!

And they think the govt. should handle documentation for immigration,

FEMA, and other things! Hah!

in Oakland

[Guest guest]

I am a highly qualified math teacher -- also certified to teach

English, Science and Social Studies in middle school, all subjects

in elementary school, and math, journalism, psychology and sociology

in high school.

I guess you could say that I have mostly been a professional

student. Alas, I work in Oklahoma which is #49 or 50 in terms of

teacher salaries.

I have been pretty good at getting student deferments (as I have

accumulated somewhere around 400 college credit hours -- enough for

5 degrees), but the interest has really added up! And to think that

Vocational Rehabilitation paid for my bachelor's degree.

I made more money when I was a professional photographer, but I

definitely can't carry a heavy camera bag around and spend 3-5 hours

on my feet photographing a wedding anymore.

>

>

> Wow, how did you owe that much money? What happened after

> graduation? Couldn't you find a job?

>

[Guest guest]

, I am so sorry to hear about your disability denial. I thought

you were already doing an appeal and had an attorney -- maybe I

confused you with someone else. It is so disheartening whenever I

hear about these denials from people from our group who can not work

and sometimes can barely get through the day at home. Some of us

could not survive without SSDI. I sure hope you have some way to

keep going till you get approved.

Disability people are undoubtedly familiar with scoliosis, fusions

gone bad, " failed back syndrome " after multiple surgeries, etc. But

I have heard from others, including some experts, that flatback is

pretty much unknown to many disability claims examiners. Maybe this

does not matter hugely if your claims rep understands that your back

is too messed up for you to handle any kind of job -- that seems to

be the salient fact, inability to function at work as documented by

the medical history -- but it does seem that it might help if people

had a little more understanding of the specifics of our particular

plight. (I refer here to the very complex situations of

the " Harrington rod generation. " )

Still, you have raised a very interesting question: Whether more

knowledge about the specifics of flatback syndrome and flatback

revision surgery would or would not facilitate processing of our

claims.

Please keep us posted on the status of your claim. I sure hope you

can get some kind of expedited review at this point, but maybe that

is wishful thinking . . .

Best,