Hi Bama , Bebop,
And everyone else..( HI )

Again Bebop.. Congrats to your win ! If you don't mind my post is a little long sorry

I have been a part of Neurotalk for a while now but post alot in the TOS forum. My fight started 3 years ago. I was a 40 year old active ,skinny healthy woman. I was working alot at this time and I started noticing problems with my right hand and right shoulder, tingling, swelling, achy, my being able to lift or grip anything was met with tremendous pain. If anyone touched or grabbed my arm or hand it would immediately bruise or hurt...( I now have TOS and RSD right side but Going Bi-Lateral now)

Well I stopped working because I was having so much difficulty.. I called the SSI office here in Mass where I live and got an appt. to file a new claim. Well unbenonst to me I didn't realize that I should have an attorney at this time too. I got denied the first time and Thanks to this forum I learned that I needed an attorney and why I may have gotten denied. So I hired an Attorney that dealt with SSI ( they do not get paid if you loose your claim or can't go any further). I stayed with this Attorney for over 2 years . I went as far as an ALJ hearing. Where I got denied again. I was about to give up when I decide to hire another attorney that would take my case to Federal Court.

I actually found him on the internet. I met with him and brought all my paperwork from the past 2 years and my Judgement from the ALJ Denial. Immediately the Attrorney said he would take my case because he knew of the Judge on my Appeal and my Attorney and he said that my Appeal was all screwed up with the wrong info and the Judge was known to give Denials.( Not to mention that my lawyer at the time did nothing for me )

I learned an awful lot from being on the forum and alot of what I know now came from here. My new Attorney and I Refiled a new claim in August of this year AND filed and Appeal in Federal Court also. It is now November, and I won my Refile in Oct. and my Appeal is going good for the back pay to 2004.

I will tell you that you need to keep very good notes on who you talk to and what Medical Doctor or Therapy or whatever you do .
Make sure you also get copies of EVERYTHING. Also make sure you have an RFC form from your treating Dr's .
Make sure if SSI wants you to go to Dr's they say , go to them if you can. (They may not need to send you).
If you have an attorney, make sure he will or one of his assistants will help you fill out the forms for the SSI Application ( they know how to word things better ). ( I didn't know how to fill the forms out either so that is one of the reasons I got denied also )
Make sure if you have a Physiciatrst (sp) or Physicologist or what ever.. make sure your lawyer or the courts are asking for the correct forms. ( my bad lawyer asked for the wrong papers from my Phyciatrst and that is one of the reasons my ALJ hearing was blown !).

I hope some of this will help you or someone else..

I hope everyone is doing o.k. and Thank You to EVERYONE on this forum for all the help.

Dolfinz