Re: SSD denied again 2nd time

[Guest guest]

Bonnie,

I hate to tell you this but I last worked in November of 2000, applied

for SSD in July of 2001. Did all the paperwork, they finally sent me

for a physical and psych exam in Jan/Feb of 2002. I received my first

denial in May. That's when I got the attorney. Appealed. Denied

again in August -- but wait, they sent me paperwork in August to fill

out and to have friends/family fill out. I received them and before I

could finish the paper (maybe 2days), an SSD person called and asked

me all kinds of questions but before she could quiz me she'd had to

get the okay of the attorney. I answered her questions. That was

August 27th. I received a letter the next week saying that a decision

was made on August 28th -- before I'd even returned the paperwork. I

lost it and called and yelled at her (not a good idea in hindsight)

and she said that I was not disabled because I wasn't mentally ill

like I had claimed. Oddly enough, I'd never claimed any kind of

mental problem.

So I appealed that one, or rather the attorney did.

So that was Sept 2002. I got a letter saying that I would be on the

list for the ALJ hearing but that they were really backed up and the

attorney said I could expect to wait up to a year. Thankfully, that

year gave me time to tend to some physical problems that were

worsening and gave me time to establish a good relationship with the

rheumatologist here in town. So I waited. Fall of 2003 the attorney

requested updates of all my medical files and my rheumy then filled

out the form saying what I could and could not do. I was informed that

my hearing was Dec 3, 2003.

I think that in some instances they're just seeing if you're really

serious about being disabled. The attorney said that when I was

quizzed by the SSD person in Aug 2002, they'd already made a decision

on the case and were just calling as a formality.

Please don't give up! I was sure that I wouldn't get it because I

don't have reams of medical records. I was able to show that I have

been having problems throughout my life which have increased as I age

and I believe that helped. I, too, am considered " EDS Variant " . If

your dr has to fill out the form about your abilities, make sure you

tell him (or her) in detail what you can or can't do. My dr filled it

out while I was in his office and put down my responses verbatim.

You certainly have documentation and medical records - probably far

better and more extensive than mine. I think that tenacity is a big

part of it. Hang on and don't let up!

Joy

PS I wish that my attorney had helped more with form completion. I

didn't know how to word things. I didn't know that if they say " Do

you read books? " that instead of yes or no, I should say something like

" not as much as I used to as I can no longer hold the book for any

length of time " or something to that effect.