disability application info and use of attorneys

[Guest guest]

I visited the site suggested. If you are filing for either SSDI or SSI or

both, all you need is at the SSA site http://www.ssa.gov/disability/ This is

free info, spend some time reading through it. Anytime a person has to spend

ANY money on an initial application, beware - there's someone in the background

making $ off of you.

Donna B. is right. You CAN make initial applications yourself. Even if you are

denied benefits, you CAN file a Request for Reconsideration yourself.

Only if you are denied after that, should you seriously consider using an

attorney to help. This is because the next step involves a Legal Hearing with an

Administrative Law Judge, and there are attorneys who are especially trained in

this - they know how to prepare, and will prepare YOU, they can review your

entire file, ask you certain questions, and present NEW information to the Judge

BEFORE the hearing, thus giving you a favorable decision.

While it is not necessary to be represented by an attorney at the Hearing Level,

someone else may represent you - however, they MUST know the rules and regs and

be able to sort out WHY you have been denied in the past. Attorneys who are

trained in SSDI and SSI law and who are members in good standing with Nosccr

http://www.nosscr.org/ are recommended. (There's an 800 phone number there,

so you can call and find an attorney in your area, plus check her/his

background)

These attorneys will make certain you obtain the full " due process " on your

claim that you deserve.

There are certain ethical standards these attorneys have in representing persons

for benefits, and you will not be charged anything. Instead, once you receive a

favorable decision by an ALJ, the SSA pays these attorneys DIRECTLY - you still

get all your back due benefits.

It is also helpful to use attorneys who have worked with the ALJ Judges in your

area, simply because the attorneys already know personalities, and what specific

Judges will ask for. This will help you receive a favorable decision. The

program I am in for Non-Attorney reps works the same way. I am just starting to

get to know the Judges in my area, how they work, what they ask for, what they

look for, etc. One of the attorneys I work with often has 15 hearings a week

(average 3 a day) - she's so on top of everything, her hearings last maximum

15-20 minutes and she has a 98% rate on benefit approvals. (And this is in a

heavily populated tri-county area)

I also wanted to comment on the WAIT involved in SSA programs. Due to the

addition of Part D Medicare benefits and the confusion it has caused, the Social

Security Administration is severely overwhelmed, understaffed and backlogged on

cases and their work - it is unfortunate that this has happened and I expect

this to be unscrambled SOON.

However, when applying for SSDI or SSI benefits, be as THOROUGH in your

application as you can. Using the on-line SSDI application will help you with

this. Being polite and respectful to all persons who you meet in this process

will minimize your stress, anxiety and frustration. KEEP COPIES OF EVERYTHING -

your application, notes, dates and names of people you talk to, your attorney's

info - everything. This can be a full-time job, but if you are seriously UNABLE

to WORK any longer, and your medical history and diagnosis substantiate this

clearly, you will be awarded benefits.

If you need the any other urls, just ask me. Knowing these and understanding

terms will help you. Out of the 14 categories in the Listing of Impairments, a

person with CMT could in fact have 5 or even more in which they medically

qualify - as long as the background information is substantiated with medical

tests, treatment, official diagnoses, etc.

http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm

~ Gretchen

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[Guest guest]

Just wanted to clarify something. I didn't pay

anything on this web site for an application form. I

basically paid for a membership to the site (not

unlike

HNF) and I receive monthly newsletters and helpful

guides and advice for applying for disability.

Gretchen Glick wrote:

> I visited the site suggested. If you are

filing for either SSDI

> or SSI or both, all you need is at the SSA site

> http://www.ssa.gov/disability/ This is free info,

spend some time

> reading through it. Anytime a person has to spend

ANY money on an

> initial application, beware - there's someone in the

background making $

> off of you.

>

> Donna B. is right. You CAN make initial

applications yourself. Even if

> you are denied benefits, you CAN file a Request for

Reconsideration

> yourself.

>

> Only if you are denied after that, should you

seriously consider using

> an attorney to help. This is because the next step

involves a Legal

> Hearing with an Administrative Law Judge, and there

are attorneys who

> are especially trained in this - they know how to

prepare, and will

> prepare YOU, they can review your entire file, ask

you certain

> questions, and present NEW information to the Judge

BEFORE the hearing,

> thus giving you a favorable decision.

>

> While it is not necessary to be represented by an

attorney at the

> Hearing Level, someone else may represent you -

however, they MUST know

> the rules and regs and be able to sort out WHY you

have been denied in

> the past. Attorneys who are trained in SSDI and SSI

law and who are

> members in good standing with Nosccr

http://www.nosscr.org/ are

> recommended. (There's an 800 phone number there, so

you can call and

> find an attorney in your area, plus check her/his

background)

>

> These attorneys will make certain you obtain the

full " due process " on

> your claim that you deserve.

>

> There are certain ethical standards these attorneys

have in representing

> persons for benefits, and you will not be charged

anything. Instead,

> once you receive a favorable decision by an ALJ, the

SSA pays these

> attorneys DIRECTLY - you still get all your back due

benefits.

>

> It is also helpful to use attorneys who have worked

with the ALJ Judges

> in your area, simply because the attorneys already

know personalities,

> and what specific Judges will ask for. This will

help you receive a

> favorable decision. The program I am in for

Non-Attorney reps works the

> same way. I am just starting to get to know the

Judges in my area, how

> they work, what they ask for, what they look for,

etc. One of the

> attorneys I work with often has 15 hearings a week

(average 3 a day) -

> she's so on top of everything, her hearings last

maximum 15-20 minutes

> and she has a 98% rate on benefit approvals. (And

this is in a heavily

> populated tri-county area)

>

> I also wanted to comment on the WAIT involved in SSA

programs. Due to

> the addition of Part D Medicare benefits and the

confusion it has

> caused, the Social Security Administration is

severely overwhelmed,

> understaffed and backlogged on cases and their work

- it is unfortunate

> that this has happened and I expect this to be

unscrambled SOON.

>

> However, when applying for SSDI or SSI benefits, be

as THOROUGH in your

> application as you can. Using the on-line SSDI

application will help you

> with this. Being polite and respectful to all

persons who you meet in

> this process will minimize your stress, anxiety and

frustration. KEEP

> COPIES OF EVERYTHING - your application, notes,

dates and names of

> people you talk to, your attorney's info -

everything. This can be a

> full-time job, but if you are seriously UNABLE to

WORK any longer, and

> your medical history and diagnosis substantiate this

clearly, you will

> be awarded benefits.

>

> If you need the any other urls, just ask me. Knowing

these and

> understanding terms will help you. Out of the 14

categories in the

> Listing of Impairments, a person with CMT could in

fact have 5 or even

> more in which they medically qualify - as long as

the background

> information is substantiated with medical tests,

treatment, official

> diagnoses, etc.

>

http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm

>

> ~ Gretchen

> ----------

>

> No virus found in this outgoing message.

> Checked by AVG Free Edition.

> Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.15.6/257 -

Release Date: 02/10/2006

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