Quote:
Originally Posted by Teatime
My information is NOT inaccurate and no one here is responsible for another person's moods or actions. To successfully be awarded SSDI as expediently as possible, you need to have substantial medical records showing diagnosis and treatment, regular followups and cooperation, with no improvement expected for at least a year. You also need to prove that you cannot do your job and there aren't other jobs you are capable of doing.
Everyone's experiences are different. However, everyone DOES have to prove that they cannot work at any job and it's rather difficult to prove unless they have tried jobs and failed. And SSA expects documentation of continuing medical care and participation in treatment options. They want to see evidence that you're trying to get better -- if you're trying but it's just not working then you' are proving your case.
I personally know people who were denied and had to fight SSA for years to get approved because they didn't go to the doctor often enough or try new treatments. It is also very common to be denied because SSA decides you are able to do a sedentary job at least four hours per day. You have to prove otherwise.
Everyone complains about SSA and, yeah, it's a bureaucracy. However, if you know what sorts of things they're looking for and how you can prove your case, then it doesn't have to be a nightmare. Sometimes people apply too soon or without enough evidence and then they're mired in a battle for years.
That's the truth, and it helps people to know what they have to prove. It helped me when I applied. If someone had just said to me, "You go, girl! I'm sure you have enough evidence to apply so do it!" that's not helpful. I want specifics and I want someone to play the devil's advocate because I wanted my case to go quickly and SMOOTHLY. And it did. I proved my case on application and was awarded benefits in 3 months.
It is not an easy process and if someone could get "discouraged" just because someone tells them they need a lot of evidence and have a lot they need to prove, then that person is in for a bad time. But, whatever. I'm done with this subject for good.
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What evidence is needed depends upon the diagnosis. A spinal cord injuiry or total blindness or Down's Syndrome would require probably one document.
The original poster should file a claim soon, but does need to seek out ongoing treatment to support his/her statements since medical evidence is necessary. Whether or not he/she has tried jobs and failed is just one factor. He/she states that she cannot function without pain medication and cannot work. Even if the claim process takes years and still may not end up with a favorable decision, that is not a reason to find out. The only way to find out is to file an application. Unless he/she expects to be back at work in less than 12 months, I do not see a reason to delay the application.
Failure to apply leads to zero benefits. Delaying applying just adds additional time to the process. However, being proactive is important. Gathering medical evidence. Seeing a doctor on a regular basis. Getting tests and treatment is important for two reasons - maybe something will work and there is more evidence.
File soon. Do not expect a quick favorable decision.