They applied for disability. I asked the lady at the state's disability board, and she said that both applications for SSI and SSDI are lumped together. When we got denials, we got two separate letters saying he had been denied for both.

When we got the first denial, the lady I talked to at Chamberlain Edmonds said it was clear we needed a lawyer, she said she would set up the referral for the law firm they use (which she highly regarded... but I guess the proof will be in the pudding) and she filed the appeal, since appeals are time sensitive. So technically, she filed the original and the appeal... and it was denied before we even got to talk to the lawyer. I got a big packet from the lawyer at the end of May and an appointment date of July 18th. Bothered me that the appointment was so far into the future. We are living with my parents, and I have to tell you- we'd be drowning, if not.

Sadly, the pedestrian didn't make it. This is a source of anxiety for my husband. He does not remember anything about the accident, and was basically lifeless on the scene. My father-in-law was hit by a car crossing the street about 12 years ago, fell into a coma and died a week later. At this point, you'd think comas were a family curse. This all hit very close to home for my husband. He is upset he doesn't remember anything. A man died, and my husband is focused on whether he could have done something to prevent it. The witnesses at the scene say that the elderly gentleman stepped into the street. My husband honked his horn, and tried to swerve. The elderly man, heard the horn, turned to look at my husband and didn't move. He didn't budge. Just looked at him. I don't get it. The police found the pedestrian 100% at fault. The witnesses say there was nothing my husband could do. I wasn't there. But my husband has it locked in his brain that he should remember the accident, and is upset he never will.

MarkNeil- We called corporate.... who basically did nothing. It's hearsay... My husband was their food and beverage director/executive chef before the accident. He asked to come back in any capacity they had available (they had a part time baking position open that my husband, a man with a pastry degree would have been perfect for... it would have been in a familiar environment, with familiar people around him, and only part time hours so that he could rest and still pursue disability) and they dragged their feet on it. One of my husband's former employees called us one night and told us that the new chef was telling everyone that corporate didn't want my husband back, because he was on meds for schizophrenia and that he was liability to the company. So... we called corporate. And all that came of that was that my husband was told he was not welcome back because he was too close to his former staff. What a crock!