Getting ready to file for SSDI
 

Hi folks, been reading this thread and gleaning information.

The only job I have/had is church organist. I cannot do this any longer, the fingers, arms, feet do not work as they once did. Plus am scheduled for total cervical fusion with rods and laminectomy Sept 18 which will limit my up and down head motion to 20%-no more playing definitely.

I have given notice to the church of my resignation, given July 26, effective Aug 30 as my last day, no more employment. They needed at least a month's notice.

Been gathering as much medical info as possible but some docs will not release some info to me. Looking on the SS website I have 4 conditions that I assume qualify me for SSDI, diabetes 2, cervical and lumbar stenosis, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, polycethemia vera. All can be documented and in discussing with doctors, yes, they agree I should be on SSDI and will sign off to that effect when the paperwork arrives from SS.

But have written radiologist reports of some 25 MRIs CATs, X-rays, some written reports of above conditions, going back six years. Also lab reports for the last 6 years, and have filled out the SS worksheets all for presentation at my first appointment with them.

Is this info going to be too overwhelming for them? Any suggestions as to addition information if needed? Any input in this area is greatly appreciated.

Peace,
David

Hi David!

There are so many variances when applying and being approved for SSDI.

First thing you should know is that approximately 95% of those applying will be denied on first round.... If this happens to you, request a reconsideration but know that approximately 95% of these are also denied.

The next step is to request a hearing before an ALJ. (At this point I suggest obtaining a lawyer for assistance. I have been told that 95% of applicants who have a lawyer for the hearing review are successful in obtaining SSDI.)

Please know that it can take months to even years before being scheduled for a hearing.

Some people are approved immediately after first applying. However, this is not the norm.

MY suggestion is that you provide as much information as you can---doctors notes, x-rays, anything you have that is medically associated with your illness/injury to Social Security. Let them sort out what they need. PLEASE provide copies to them as you will not get these back.

Receiving SSDI/SSI also depends on your age, educational background, work history, and your ability to do ANY kind of job.

It also depends on how many "work credits" that you have earned in the previous 5 to 10 years.

I see you worked at a church as the church's organist. Was this a paying position where taxes and social security tax was taken out of your pay check?

I truly wish you the best but wanted to let you know that receiving Social Security Disability can be a long, hard, and frustrating road.

:hug:
Abbie

you are entitled to your medical records, it is a law called HIPPA. Put those doctors offices that are refusing to provide records on notice that they are violating the law. The only exception to this is for psychological records, if it would harm the patient by seeing their own records. I think its actually a 35% success rate for initial applications though that varies by state.

Abby, thanks for the thoughts.

I have been church organist for 32 years and my income was subject to fed, state (VA), and SS taxes. Just received my annual statement from SS and it did say that I qualify for SSDI with enough work credits.

Just a thought, church employees are not eligible for unemployment benefits since churches are given the benefit of opting out of this program, and they do to save money.

I believe there is another payment program through SS called SSI? Do you know if SSI and SSDI can be collected by the same person?

Thanks,
David

I do know of a couple of people who are receiving both SSI and SSDI.

I don't know the terms of this or how they are receiving both.

I'm happy that you are eligible SSI/SSDI and that you have enough credits!!! :)

Please make sure you have copies of ALL of your medical records and if you can get one---ask your doctors to write a letter to Social Security supporting your application for SSDI/SSI.

If you can... mail copies of your records to SS by certified/signature of receipt.

I have had SS tell me they never recieved my records...but when I told them I had a receipt with signature of person "X" some how my records mysteriously appeared.

I also faxed all printed medical records to SS via my lawyers office.

Even after this...they still told me at my hearing that they had no record of me having hired an attorney (I've had my attorney for about 4 years or so) and they didn't have the up to date records... we faxed and mailed them with signature on receipt.

I wish you the best!!
:)
Abbie

Thanks Abbie (sorry I misspelled your name earlier).

The tip about getting the letter of recommedation from the doc is great. I have already requested one, will see what happens.

The SS office is about ten minutes from home so I am doing everything in person even though it takes forever. Went there the other day to make an interview appointment and waited an hour just for that.

But still gathering records, it is massive.

Peace,
David

FYI

The 95% quoted in an earlier post for all statistics is incorrect. 95% are not denied on initial applications and 95% of claimants with attorneys are not approved by ALJ's. The 95% denial on recons may be close, but it is also not right.

But you should not rely on me any more than you rely on that post.

In your research of the SSA website did you look at & study the SSA definition of disability? Just because you cannot perform your work as an organist does not mean you cannot perform ANY type of work. In determining that you do/do not have a medical condition so severe that it is expected to result in death, or be so severe that it has lasted, or is expected to last 12 months and prevent ANY type of work the disability determinations office will look at your age, education, past work experience and overall medical condition.

There is an expectation that you would not have surgery if you did not expect it to improve your ability to function. A determination will probably not be made until the effectiveness of the surgery can be assessed. If you are under 50, have a high school diploma and past work experience back/neck problems are seldom considered disabling enough to meet SSA standards.

Diabetes type II is usually not disabling but your case may be different. What caused the stroke? Was it the diabetes? What are the residuals? Can you walk/talk, etc, or are you paralyzed on one side? How bad is the neuropathy? Can you walk, feel your feet, etc.? How does the polycethemia vera affect your ability to breath, how severe is the dizziness & how do these conditions affect your ability to function.

Statements from your treating doctors identifying each condition with treating documentation as to how the conditions affect your ability to function will be most helpful.

Information documenting a medically diagnosed condition & how that condition affects the ability to perform work related functions will not be overwhelming.

The 95% information was given to me by one of the TOP SSDI attorneys and the Social Security office in my area. It may vary from state to state.

I am only stating what I have been told... if you have better percentages in your area then CONGRATULATIONS... if you have the same or worse... I'm truly sorry.

I appreciate the comments here. And know now that filing for disability is going to be a tough road. I believe the clerks do everything possible to prevent filers from receiving benefits. And this I believe is a result of multiple cases of abuse over the years. Now, those of us who truly need the benefits in order to survive from day to day are suffering from the abuse and have to jump through a series of hoops to get what we need. And disability benefits are a right not a privaledge.

I am a good candidate for receiving disability benefits. The diagnosis list: Two liver hemangiomas, severe gastroesophageal reflux-gurd, constrictive esouphagus, pulmonary embolism, polycethemia vera, neuropathy in both feet-calves-hands-fingers with numbness, diabetes 2-insulin dependant, obstructive sleep apnea-Bipap machine, intracranial hypotension, Chiari Malformation Type 1-adult onset of symptoms, hydrocephalus-VP shunt, gout, deviated septum, 5% hearing-left ear-75% hearing-right ear, Meniere's disease, double vision, arachnoiditis, cervical stenosis with curvature, multiple disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, partial frontal lobe epilepsy with myoclonic seizures and starring, myelopathy, lumbar stenosis with curvature, pernicious anemia-B12 deeficiency, pinched ulna (sp) nerves in both forearms, severe nerve damage radiating from the spine, severe carpal tunnel in the right hand. And I realize that only 4 of these are on the SS list of automatic (yea, right) symptoms. But doctor treatment, etc can all be authinticated. (I need spell check in posting here, is that available?) But you take all of the above, give them all a good stir and no, "normal" functioning for me on a daily basis is extremely difficult.

I was told to file on line with SS department. One is limited to 500 characters in explaining symptoms, conditions and your limitations in working. In my case, that is not enough room to list everything nor explain everything. So have an appointment with SS to present my case plus the limited information that has been submitted on line. How does one list, in my case the 12 doctors that see me, treat me, have history of stuff that has been going on?

The fusion surgery coming up will be quite invasive, fusion with rods C2-T1. It is anticipated that I will be in the hospital for 5 days then 2 weeks in the PT department. Not looking forward to this one. The neurosurgeon anticipates the surgery will bring a halt to the continued damage to the spinal cord. It will not help with any current pain issues I live with and any improvement will be small or worse, the outcome is not known. And this will be surgery #5, with 3 more down the road. The pinched nerves and carpel tunnel need to be dealt with or I will be unable to feed myself. When I met with the PA for surgery pre-op, I found out that I had a heart attack, which is a part of my medical record, which I had no knowledge of.

My previous neurologist gave me a new label, a "trainwreck", a new term for me. In the medical field it means that so many issues are occurring at the same time that it is difficult for docs to find the exact cause of symptoms. I tell new doctors this and they are rolling on the floor, but know what they are dealing with.

So my journey with SS is just beginning and I will fight the system all the way.

Peace,
David