thanks birchlake,

Were you approved on first try without an attorney?

ballerina.

I have read of a few cases around here recently who were approved with RSD and TOS (they are both dx's of mine too, so the combo always 'jumps' out at me).......most of us though it seems to be a denial. second denial, then final approval at the ALJ stage. 3 years til approval has been a common 'theme' around here (meaning this forum, not my geographical area)

I don't know how they work things at SS, but I believe it would be a violation of law to HAVE to deny a certain quota or only be able to accept a certain quota. Their job is to decide if YOU are totally disabled or not......not how bad you are compared to the other applicants they reviewed that day.

I have also read that they are getting more applications because layoffs and difficulty finding another job are making some people think applying for SSDI is their best option.

Sadly, it's a waiting game.

There is a great social security forum here and you might want to check it out too.

I was approved on the initial application WITH professional representation. She was not an actual lawyer, but she is from a firm that does nothing but SSDI cases. She was very competent.

It is very hard to say whether I could have had the same results myself. But with this being unfamiliar waters and I wanted approval as quickly as possible, I retained her and it worked out. But with my situation, she did take the maximum payment allowable. But still well worth it. My humble opinion is that your odds increase with professional representation. They know that there will be follow through regardless of the outcome so..............

Yesterday I called to check on the status of my SSDI application and was told that my application was selected at random to go to "quality review" which will take up to 60 days. I was told that denials do not go to quality review and that most approvals are not overturned by the quality review process.

I had a surprising reaction to this call. Seething anger came to the surface as I recalled a former neighbor who faked chronic pain with worker's comp, claiming that she had no choice but to work even though she was very disabled due to falling from a chair at work. When she was finally laid off she filed for disability. She always limped around on a walker when being watched. In her back yard, however, she was hanging off ladders painting her house, using a tiller and never failed to attend Baltimore Orioles spring training or to go on vacations. My former neighbor incredibly got SSDI after many years of trying. After she was approved we never saw the walker again.

I guess folks like my former neighbor are the reason it can be so challenging for deserving people to be approved!

I understand most of your comments about the neighbor, but it frustrates me when people make judgements about the disabled as if it's a crime to take a vacation.

Disabled doesn't mean dead.

I have a whole host of strategies to cope with traveling, including flying in 3 or 4 days before my vacation partner to recover from the flight. I never even thought of flying with a pillow until I picked up that tip from this board...

Family members have judged me for going. It does take a toll on my body. I'm not cured when I get there. I can't have anywhere near a normal activity level of a healthy person. I'm on a really tight budget.

The flip side for me is that the only place I'm naturally pain free is in warm ocean water, so even getting to swim a few times while in Hawaii gives me HOPE, even if other days I can't leave the room due to pain, or an upset stomach, or vertigo.

Just wanted to throw another perspective out there...

I don't believe our perspectives are different.

I did not pass judgements on my neighbors vacations. I merely reported my observations of her physical capabilities prior to SSDI approval and post SSDI approval as well as her physical condition when she thought she was being observed versus when she thought she was not being observed. While in church, the grocery store, library etc., she needed a walker and was slumped over moaning and groaning. She made a large hysterical display at church crying that she could not make it to the communion rail so the minister had to bring communion to her pew. The moment she returned home the walker was gone, and she immediately engaged in activities like operating tillers, climbing ladders to the third floor, throwing her grandchildren over hear head, digging up trees, etc. For ten years her "RSD" only reduced her to groans and a walker while in public. Never in ten years did I observe these behaviors in her back yard. She complained bitterly that her family "didn't understand her "RSD." How could they when she went jet skiing on vacations, pitched tents and went rock climbing.

After a winter storm my husband observed her in her back yard running a huge snow blower after just telling him how she could not tolerate noises and had told her doctor she could never lift anything over five pounds. When my husband later questioned her about how she could operate the tiller and endure the noise she said, "I had no choice, my husband was at work and I have to finish the driveway so we can get out to a party tonight." I forgot to mention that after she ran the tiller for one hour she spent two hours shoveling snow, then climber a latter and cleared part of the garage roof of snow for another hour. An hour later she was dressed up and heading out to the party but not before she tossed the walker in the trunk. This was standard operating procedure for her for ten years but she was "too disabled" to work.

Unfortunately some people do beat the system and make it harder for the rest of us applying for SSDI. My husband now regrets not turning her in to workman's comp. I do too.

The above was my only objection. Saying she went on vacation to go rock climbing or to use a jet ski is a wee bit different.

Frankly, with as hostile as much of the general public seems to be towards those that receive disability (until it happens to them or to a close family member) it kind of stumps me when people get away with blatant fraud.

Many moons ago, during a WC deposition, the insurance attorney rather indignantly and nastily asked me about my ardent knitting hobby that a co-worker had informed on me about. Clearly that was the real culprit behind my injury. It was quite an "ah-hah!" moment until I burst out laughing hysterically. I have never once knitted. Maybe someone confused a memory, or maybe they just lied. At least I was able to respond to the accusation.

If I have a point, I guess it's this:
Your own habits are now going to be under a continual microscope for any and all to judge, simply because they feel entitled if you make a disability claim. And while you may have nothing to hide, it isn't enjoyable to have strangers, neighbors, extended family, and so on--condescend to whether or not they think you deserve disability benefits.

My health and status of disability should be between me and my doctor.

Well okay, and Social Security. Hmm, and a gaggle of WC case workers, investigators, hired gun docs, and attorneys.

I'm actually surprised WC never questioned you or your husband about your neighbor's activities. That is something they commonly do.

Perhaps your neighbor really had a pysch claim and it was less embarrassing to pretend her disability was physical, or maybe she truly was committing fraud. Who knows?

You chose not to report it, or confront her with your minister, so that ship has sailed...

Mine went to quality review. I was told it was going to be denied, then someone picked up on the fact that I was on a rollabout, so they requested more information and Tuesday I found out I was approved.
Anita

How absolutely absurd that you had to endure such treatment. That must have been an emotionally devastating experience that you will never forget. I hope you never have to endure that again.

As regards my former neighbor my husband and I never got involved. Since my husband is a psychologist we both wondered, if my neighbor might and claimed RSD because that was more socially acceptable than a psychiatric problem. A few days before my neighbor moved, however, her daughter who lived with her came over to say goodbye. Her daughter expressed her extreme frustration because she claimed that she had accompanied her mother to doctors appointment for years for treatment for RSD but knew her mother was faking it, based on the same observations that we had. We did not comment because it made us quite uncomfortable. She also indicated that she could no longer live with her mother or participate in her mother's life because her conscience was causing her extreme anxiety. She reported being alienated from her father because although he knew his wife was faking it stated that they needed the money and his wife refused to work.

When I applied for SSDI the case worker explained to me that the paperwork and application process had recently been tightened up. I did not question her but was fine with that due to the experience with my former neighbor. I found the application process stressful and arduous but fair. I was glad to see a system that seemed accountable and I did not view any of the questions or requests for medical records unreasonable.

My point is that folks who have beaten the system make is hard on the folks who physically cannot work. It is because of my experience with this former neighbor that I believe SSDI requests should indeed be scrutinized.

My responses are in bold.