Giving Up On Ssi

[khaarina]

I recently found out that I was denied SSI...again. Third time was not a charm. Maybe those of you still trying for it will learn for my mistakes. So, here's what went wrong.

No lawyer:

After being turned down the second time I applied for a hearing and hired a lawyer. He accepted my case, we signed a contract, and I felt a huge weight taken off my shoulders. Four days before the hearing I suddenly realize, crap! it's four days until the hearing and my lawyer hasn't prepped me. I don't even know if he is going to show up. I call and call and call, but nobody answers and nobody calls me back. So I email and they replay saying, oh he's not going to be able to make it to your hearing due to a conflict in his schedule, but don't worry, we won't be charging you for our services. What services?? So I had to go to the hearing with no legal advice and no lawyer.

Not enough evidence:

After talking to the judge and reading the paperwork they sent me afterward, I realize that all the judge wants is proof. I worried myself to death over every little detail. I did my best to appear trustworthy, I didn't exaggerate or underplay my condition, I gave them records of every single doctor visit since the day I got sick three years ago, including a report from my primary saying that I had a positive tilt table test and describing my symptoms. None of it mattered. I could not have stressed more that I am severely symptomatic if I stand for more than 5 minutes or sit for more than half an hour, but it was meaningless to them because it didn't come from a doctor. I firmly believe that if I had shown up with a lawyer and a doctor's note telling how long I can sit and how long I can stand, I would have been approved. Had I hired a real lawyer instead of a big deadbeat law office chain, I would have been told what I needed to bring in order to get approved.

I have the option of appealing, but it is a long arduous process and I don't think I can take it. This whole thing has brought on insane amounts of stress, which of course only makes me sicker. I could go to my doctor and ask for the statement ssi judges really want, but the second I bring up ssi to a doctor, he shuts down. Suddenly I become one of those people, and he stops trying to fix me and just wants me to hurry up and get out of his office. I am at a loss.

[Rebecca2z]

Aww, I am sorry to read all you have gone through. I know applying for benefits is over the top stressful. I remember when I went though it many years ago.

I just wanted to encourage you to take the break away from it -but don't give up. Find a better law firm and please know that most people have a hard time

getting SS. There are lots of people who are dying don't get approved.

It is standard to be denied the first go around, appeal and get the benefits you deserve.

Have friends and family write what they see and write about how you used to be. Maybe find a new doctor or let SS send you to one of theirs.

Also there are lots of good tips on line. Don't give up, you can do this !!

Good Luck,

Hugs,

Rebecca

[Jan]

Get a new lawyer and make that person do all the work so you can stop stressing. You have nothing to lose.

[Clb75]

I was just denied after my initial application and am working with my lawyer on an appeal. It's very stressful and disappointing but please don't give up just yet. Perhaps you can find a lawyer who is not from a large chain that can give you more personalized attention and help you. Having records and current findings documented can help support your case, and my lawyer had my doctors fill out a functional capacity form to document all of my limitations too. Good luck!

[Mike]

Don't give up! I am so scared for my first hearing. I started out with a lawyer and was denied all the typical first tries, I was told by my lawyer it would come down to a hearing. I can only hope to be approved on the first hearing, it would change my life dramatically.

[SarahA33]

Khaarina,

Hang in there. I know it can be an exhausting and difficult process. I got an attorney the first time around and was approved fairly quickly. my attorney said the most important things were the letters from my doctors stating that I was completely 100% disabled and unable to work as well as the amount of records that they had submitted (including all past doctors, testing, etc)

[Becia]

I'm currently waiting on a hearing with the judge, my first and second times both denied. Ohio apparently has been mean lately according to my lawyer, but I'm try to be be patient. Certainly not easy, and I'm honestly thinking of giving up too, but the state of Ohio found me disabled, and I currently get the state disability assistance payment of $115 a month. Not easy to pay bills and live on that, but I'm trying, and trying to keep the faith. We are currently over a year out from meeting with the judge, and seemingly in the meantime, I'm just gathering more information for them to present to the judge, because while I've had doctors try and heal me, nothing is changing the fact that I sit up for more than a few hours with my feet down, I'm sicker than a dog. Nothing is changing the fact I operate better on doing ivs every other day, cannot stand for more than a few minutes, and my mind is taking a big pummeling mentally.

I don't have advice, but just wanna say I know how it feels. Try to keep keep the faith.