Advice on disability

[Guest guest]

Gretchen,

Thanks again, Gretchen. Everything you mention is true. It's about proper

wording really, isn't it? Your suggestions on wording and how to describe the

issues/symptoms will be very helpful.

I have actually been working from home due to my disability for over 4 years

now. Started out with a few days at the office and a few days home. It's hard

to quantify missed work now because I don't claim any lost time officially.

Since I work from home, I just

rearrange my schedule as necessary.

It's a great arrangement and at first it worked. My symptoms were significantly

relieved when I first started this virtual office arrangement. But they have

become increasingly worse again over the last 6 months or so from stress and

probably a certain amount of CMT

progression. I do have to travel in my current position and would have to seek

a different job within the company to avoid travel. Other jobs in the company

would probably require me to go into an office daily, though. Catch 22 really.

Another question: Are most doctors receptive to a patient requesting help with

filing for disability? I've never asked before. Is there a proper way of

bringing this up during an appointment? lol

[Guest guest]

For me, my company will cover my salary during the six month period at 100% and

I have company disability insurance which is 67% of my annual salary. They also

have a review board to go through the paperwork BUT they don't require you to

receive SS in order to collect -- they do ask you to file with SS. I'm not sure

how difficult it is to go through this with them, though.

Thanks so much for the information,

[Guest guest]

I travel about 25% per month but pushed up to around 60% in the late

summer/early fall time frame. I really think that that's part of my problem now

-- never did recover.

And yes, I do a fair bit of international travel and it is very difficult. In

November, I had to miss a day while in France because my body just didn't want

to work -- stayed in the hotel all day to recover. Actually, that happens to me

a lot on business travel.

Between the full day at work and the increased energy expended during travel, I

guess it's no wonder.

Funny how I've never really related that to CMT specifically. I guess I just

assumed everyone had trouble

[Guest guest]

,

That is exactly how my disability worked when I was unable to work

starting in May, 2001. I received 100% salary for the first 6 months. Then,

when my permanent disability kicked in at 60% of my salary (non-taxable) I was

required to file with SS and was forced to continue to file if rejected. I was

approved the first time I applied, so that wasn't an issue. When I started

receiving SS benefits, my company disability was reduced by the amount I

received from SS. Most companies don't explain that very well initially.

Disability compensation WILL be reduced by the amount you receive from SS. Some

companies will even reduce your disability by the amount you

receive from social security for your dependents. (Dependent children

receive compensation if you're disabled, too.) You can pay disability

premiums for all the years you work, and can end up with very little from you

company because of social security. It's no wonder companies force you to apply

for SS.

K.

[Guest guest]

Thanks, . My company works the exact same way. I haven't started talking

with HR yet. I'm waiting to see what the doc says.

[Guest guest]

,

I was just recently approved for disability in December. I filed in October,

but I went to my local office, instead of doing the on-line filing.

I had worked full-time and then was off sick for 3 1/2 months this summer and

tried to go back to work full-time, could only do that 2 weeks and my Dr. wrote

a note to HR for me to go to part-time. I tried that for a month and then left

the company with my Neuro standing behind me 100%. In fact he asked why I

hadn't done it sooner. He has been my Dr. for 19 years, so he has seen

everything I have gone through.

I also took all test results and any other paperwork from Drs. that I felt

helped my case. I also mentioned everything that I Dr. for such as

migraines,lung disease(CMT related).

The more thorough you are the quicker it should go. When the lady from my local

office called and said I was approved, she said my Drs. were very quick and

thorough in getting the paperwork back into them.

I had talked to the Dr. at my local MDA office but he wasn't as helpful as my

regular Neuro, because he did not know me as well, since I have only seen him 3

times, but they did help me get a scooter so I can go more places, since I

cannot walk any distances at all.

Good Luck ,

Connie Lasko

P'burg,OH

[Guest guest]

I saw my MDA neurologist today and she was very supportive of me. She suggested

that I try working part-time before I even mentioned a problem with working but

I'm afraid if I do part-time, any benefits

I might receive from my employer would be half or none. Benefits are based on

my last salary amount.

She suggested filing for disability and that she would write any letters

necessary to support it. She was very surprised at how much job-travel I did,

especially international travel.

So, I'll talk with my company's HR department tomorrow.

Unfortunately, my hubby doesn't seem as receptive to my quiting work though. He

knows what I go through and he knows that he does most of the shopping and

child-caring as it is but I think maybe he's concerned that I'll get bored or

have low self-esteem.

It's encouraging (I guess) that so many CMTers seem to have gotten disability

relatively easy.

[Guest guest]

Is it important to have a lawyer to help you through the SSDI process?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

No, it is not important to have a lawyer help you file disability.

The on-line application is very easy - although extensive with lots

of questions to answer and information to provide. The time to maybe

think about a lawyer is IF you are denied (and then it might just be

that more medical information is needed) - so filing a Request for

Reconsideration is something you can do yourself also. IF you are

denied on that, the next step is to request an ALJ Hearing (in front

of an Administrative Law Judge) and that is definitely when you

should have an attorney with a good track record of " wins " . There

are also now " non-Attorney Representatives " that are specially

trained to help clients at Disability Hearings (this is what I am in

the process of becoming myself) If you decide you do want

representation for first-time filing, make sure your Attorney is a

member of Nosccr. If not, get one that IS.

Lawyers do want to be paid $, however, and if you are able to apply

yourself, my suggestion is to do just that. Email me directly if I

can help in any way. (I am taking the certification test this June)

I've got some links that may be helpful for you with " wording " ,

conditions, etc. plus the Blue Book, the Red Book and the Green Book,

but really, that's more than you need to simply file for first-time

benefits.

~ Gretchen

[Guest guest]

,

I wouldn't spend the money to hire a lawyer unless you're rejected more than

twice.

K.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the advice. You guys have been great! If I could see a successful

application, it would be helpful. I'll get with Gretchen off-list to take her

up on her offer to point me to some good sources for wording.

I'm assuming that I need to be OFF work on disability for a time period before

filing for SS. My doctor has just taken me off work now but it'll probably take

me quite a while to get all the required information together to file.