On my rejection, they said at my age and educational level I could get a job. I said "Like what?" and that I couldn't drive, could barely walk and no buses came by my house IF I could get down the 500 foot hilly drive (But no bus came by still!!!). Nobody answered my question or helped me get to a job, I was then approved. @#$%&*s

How pathetic is this?? Problem is there aren't many, if any, states in better condition.

I wish you the best of luck with your problems.

gmi

totally with what's already been said, both the good bits and the bad.

It appears the concerns that have been raised are not unique to the USA. After the experiences my hubby and I both had when making our own applications, I now believe it depends on just who processes your application ..... no matter what country you live in. Which state you live in may also give rise to different outcomes... I know it did for hubby and I.

My husband did 'heavy' work all his life, and when his back deteriorated to such an extent that there were days that he couldn't even walk, let alone work... he applied for a disability pension. He had many doctor's letters and some of those came from doctors they had sent him to, but still they refused him.

I've not heard of lawyers standing in your stead here in Oz for disability claims, so I wrote his appeals for him and it wasn't until the third attempt that they approved his application. Grrrr!
So much paper work and so many plane trips, because we lived 4 hours drive away from the nearest major city.

Then there's me.

Two years ago I had a nasty exacerbation following major surgery for bowel cancer (hemicolectomy). I went into Social Security to ask about sickness benefits because I had used up all my paid leave where I worked, and we needed money to survive.

The lass I saw there was really nice, and it was actually on her recommendation that I applied for disability support. It was something that hadn't entered my head for myself. My doctor filled out the paperwork ..... I was interviewed the following week, and approved that very day.

For me it was less than 2 weeks from start to finish.

That part was certainly a relief, but I hadn't forgotten all the hassels we had to go through for my hubby. His refusals made me so cross at the time because I could see how bad he was, how much pain he was in... and we knew others who were "ripping the system off ...
people who were only approved because they were very good actors. Any person who falsely claims benefits makes me very angry, no matter what benefit they're claiming.

I was denied 3 times so went before a judge. I think it was the vocational expert that said that with my fatigue history that I would be calling in sick an average of 4 times a month. When I was fist assigned a judge I realized I knew him from my hospice volunteer training which by the way I found out I was to tired to do. Any way I talked to this judge at the hospice Christmas party and he asked me if I was approved. He said that before he realized it was me he had already decided to approve me without a hearing. But of course he couldn't do that or relay that to the judge that took my case. It is quite a process.

I fell and fractured my back. I was forced to retire. I was a state employee where i lived. They filed the paperwork, and presented it all for me, as part of my disabilit retirement. it went through without a whimper. Maybe because its the states MDs who filed the papers for me, or maybe it was tied to a state retirement, I dont know, but mine went quick, fast and in a hurry.