Re: Disability Applications Defeat

[Guest guest]

& all,

, you make an important point: that the information to disability

reviewers needs to be clear, definitive & closely controlled. I just wish

that if all these conditions were met, the approval odds would be greater.

In some instances this works fine & quickly. But for whatever reason

(including actual office policy) I've found more valid US claims turned

down than approved. There is a 'damage control' attitude that if

percentages of people are turned away, they will disappear into attrition.

Although I have successfully set up many cases & personally advocated for

a good number in appeals (with & without attorneys), and have a 100% track

record of getting approvals, quite a number of applicants I worked with had

their cases needlessly monkey-wrenched, often for trumped-up reasons, while

they were left to dangle in economic chaos. With my experience, it still

took me about 4 years to get approval, during which time severe damage was

done to my family, which eventually became a casualty of disability. It did

not have to happen. But it goes on and on!

Penny Cowan, founder of ACPA has cited incredibly high statistics for

family breakdown associated with chronic pain. The numbers are all to real

to me. There is a bottom line: The experience of chronic pain to one & in a

family is difficult. But financial strangulation is the killer. I believe

the numbers could be changed. I had a counseling practice for many years &

worked with more families than I can count. In the long run, the most

serious & most difficult reason for family break-up was often money, or the

effects of financial struggle. I know this sounds simplistic, but it is

supported by studies over & over.

Maybe we need an activist organization, like 'The Aching Panthers' or

something.

Ken

At 08:24 PM 5/7/98 +0000, you wrote:

>

>

>Greetings: As I read the information that is coming in the

>postings I think back to the beginning of 1997 when I was

>approved for my disability program. Maybe I was lucky or the

>powers that be smiled on me I don't know but I collected as much

>documentation as I possibly could. So I wonder for those still

>fighting to get approved if this might help.

>

>Would it be of any benefit to somehow collect information from

>those who have been granted status? I firmly believe that

>information is power! Let's make this list work for us. I know

>in my case I had seven documented issues that the evaluators

>could choose from. I had input from my family physician, an

>occupational therapist and a whole series of tests that were

>compiled to

>a large report that was submitted.

>

>To those in each country that deal with chronic pain and who have

>been granted disability status my suggestion is to try and

>compile input that others in the same country can use. When I

>give

>and try to help I have found and still find that I receive back

>threefold in gifts.

>

>As an individual I can only have empathy for the pain that each

>person experiences. For a long time I struggled with a why me

>attitude? Recently an acquaintance pointed out a web site on the

>Internet that for me has provided some answers. You may find

>answers here or again you may not. That's okay! The web site is

>http://www.createpeace.com/

>The article that I read is farther down the site. Scroll down to

>The Law of Higher Perspective by Dr. Norma Milanovitch.

>

>Blessings & Peace

>

>

>

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