Hi Don,

It's a tough time of year with the holidays and heating bills to get financial bad news......I'm sorry for what you are going through.

I'm not sure if you just want to vent and get emotional support or if you have specific questions about applying for SSDI.

Was this a denial at the reconsideration stage and now you will try at the ALJ level ? Or are you dropping your claim now ? I'm concerned about your statement that you will get a release to return to work from your doctor. If he has factually reported your inability to work, he really can't contradict himself now. And......if you are appealing SSA's decision, documentation that you can work would obviously blow your chances. Can you physically perform a job ? If you can manage that, even if it's difficult for you, then you aren't totally disabled. If you try to go back to work, but are unable to maintain substantial gainful employment, that failed work attempt could HELP your SSDI claim, but not if you have documentation from your doctor saying that you should be able to work with no problems.

Does your lawyer regularly work with SSDI applications ? Or was he your WC lawyer just fudging his way through this ? How optimistic had he been about your SSDI claim ? Are you sure that all of your medical documentation was thorough ?