Did you do a search for tips or how to write a letter of dire need?

I found this -
http://www.ehow.com/how_5960580_ssa-...dire-need.html

Hey rlj,

Have you tried calling your local welfare office. They may be able to hook you up with agencys that can help you with your lights, food stamps, ect. I know a lot of people are embarrassed to do this but if you are hungry and you need help with your lights you should give it a shot. There are also a lot of food banks that are willing to help people in your position. Make sure to mention you are a vet.
Before firing your attorney I would make an appointment with your local SS office and go in and see exactly what has been done. Your attorney may be further along than what you think. If you start all over it's going to take more time. If you find nothing has been done write a complaint to the bar in your state. The bar will call him and ask what is being done, and he will know you mean business.
I have found once you're in the system then you basically have to wait. There are thousands of people out there who are waiting along with you. A letter of dire need only qualifies if you are terminally ill, homeless or if someone is in jail. Good luck to you and it's not hopeless just timely. Please read below.



Submitting Dire Need, Terminal Illness requests, or information regarding incarcerated individuals

1.
NOTIFY THE HEARING OFFICE WHEN THE CLAIMANT HAS A TERMINAL (TERI) CONDITION, IS HOMELESS, OR IS IN DIRE NEED, AND INCLUDE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION SUPPORTING THESE ALLEGATIONS.
Notifying a hearing office of these circumstances can significantly expedite the processing of a case, if the allegation is supported. The criteria and reference links for critical case processing can be found in our provisions in HALLEX I-2-1-40 (Critical Cases).

2.
WITH THE REQUEST AND DOCUMENTATION SUPPORTING THE ALLEGATION, SUBMIT UPDATED EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THE CLAIM FOR AN OTR REVIEW.
If a dire need case can be awarded without the need of a hearing, this works to the advantage of the claimant and the hearing office.

3.
IF CLAIMANT IS INCARCERATED, PROVIDE THE HEARING OFFICE WITH THE ADDRESS OF THE FACILITY AND THE RELEASE DATE.
There are many difficulties that arise when an individual who has requested a hearing is incarcerated. For example, if an in-person hearing must be conducted, there are varying rules and procedures depending on the facility in which the claimant is incarcerated. Some claimants are transferred after a hearing has been scheduled but before the hearing has been held. For these types of reasons, it is very important that the hearing office is apprised at all times of the status of an incarcerated claimant.

I think you should read the contract you signed. Although I agree that it is not a good business practice, your agreement with the attorney may not reference anything about calling you back timely or writing a dire need letter for you. If you do fire this attorney, he can petition for costs and the amount of time that he spent on the case. If you continue under the contract, the attorney may be entitled to 25% of the retroactive benefits no matter whether he worked hard or not. If you don't want to have SSA enforce the contract that you voluntarily signed, you need to get out of it. One of the things you pay an attorney for is expertise and knowing when and how to make an argument. There is not always much that can be done to move you to the front of the long line of people waiting for hearings, unless the attorney writes a persuasive brief and gets an OTR (On the Record decision) without a hearing.

Since you are unhappy with the person you hired, you should interview a few others to figure out who you might want instead. Any rep who can guarantee an approval or that they can get you moved ahead is probably not telling the truth.

[QUOTE=Jo*mar;735563]Did you do a search for tips or how to write a letter of dire need?


Thanks Jo*mar,
Yes, I have searched every where and I did read the page you have listed.

Does your lawyer advertise himself as an expert in SS law? Did you read your medical records from VA that went to SS? Was it 2009 when you applied for SSDI? if so how many rejections have you gotten? As mentioned before check out your local welfare agencies for help and above all contact your congressman.

Yes he does on the lawyer. I did not see the actual records that social security got from the VA. I really didn't know that I could request to see the records they used in their decision. I did apply in 2009 and I have been denied 1 time.

My lawyer must be watching this forum, he actually called me today. He finally told me that SSA made their decision on my case for only one of my medical problems. They only judged on my COPD, none of the other problems were even looked at. They only got records from the VA pertaining to COPD. My COPD is a doctor diagnosed problem and I do have to keep an inhaler around for it but it didn't keep me from working. I asked the lawyer why they did this and he told me that the doctor that SSA sent me to for the normal physical told them that the COPD was the only thing he found of any concern and that it was not severe enough to warrant disability and I won't argue that point. But I couldn't even do the squats and toe stands he asked me to do because I couldn't bend my leg and he tells SSA that there is nothing physically wrong with me. I honestly believe that SSA pays these doctors not to find anything. I wish I was able to go over to his office and hit him up side the head with my crutches.
Anyway, my lawyer made out like he knew nothing about the knee replacement after all the nasty messages I left him. But he thinks that with all the medical records, and x-rays pertaining to the knee replacement and a form filled out by my orthopedic doctor, that we might stand a chance of getting the case reviewed immediately and overturn the decision. He quoted to me something that I had already found from SSA's own rules of qualifications. The rule states that the impairment of a weight bearing joint that has lasted or is expected to last 12 months is qualified for disability. This problem has kept me from working for 18 months now and it is no where near being resolved. I believe this puts me over the qualification limits set by SSA and the lawyer does too. I pray to god this don’t turn out to be another one of his tricks to get my hopes and confidence in him back up. I would be really PO’d.

rlj1959, If I were you I would retrieve all medical records pertaining to your case. They are your files and you have a right to see them and read them carefully yourself not just your lawyer. They must state you can not work currently either directly or indirectly otherwise you'll most likely fail. It sounds like you've been rejected twice and have not had your day in front of a Social Security judge yet. If this is the case your two rejections are quite common, happens to most people. You must take control of those records and move the doctor reports into your camp if you are infact totally disabled. There are tests you can take that will show your limited ability to function at a job. It's called an FCE test---google it and read about it carefully. If it is something you may persue talk to your lawyer first. Also SS will send you to doctors they contract with. Has this happened?

I may have been a little excited in my last post and didn’t make it clear. I do have access to all my records at any time from the VA. I didn’t actually know why SSA denied my claim until my lawyer told me yesterday. SSA some how made a very large mistake from my initial claim. They act like I was filing for disability only because I have COPD. That was the only records they requested from the VA was about the COPD. I now have a Very Large box with 2500 to 3000 pages of medical records. I have no idea why this happened unless they based their decision solely on what that quack doctor they sent me to for the consultative physical told them. I could not do all the bending, squatting and other exercises that he wanted me to do because of my knee yet he reports to SSA that there was nothing physically wrong with me. I have gone to this doctor several years ago because of my seizure disorder; he has treated me for it and prescribed medicine for it before the VA took it over. Try to tell me that ain’t fixed. I had to quit working and file for disability because of my knee and some how this was overlooked by SSA. I have several medical problems; some of these medical problems include degenerative arthritis in all my joints. Cervical arthritis in my neck. Cholesteatomas in both my ears (I have to wear hearing aids), COPD, grand mal seizure disorder and several other problems including the problems with the left knee. Everything was included on my initial claim and all but one was ignored. I don’t understand how the law will allow SSA to base their decision on the findings of a doctor during a 30 minute physical. A doctor that most people probably have never even been to and this doctor has no clue about your health. They don’t take x-rays or do any other kind of special test to back up your claim. They take his word over several doctors of a very highly rated VA medical center and years of medical records. I see I’m rambling again. Anyway, I sincerely appreciate each and every reply to this situation I’m in. I appreciate all the support and advice given to me. I will keep you all posted over the next few months about everything that is going on.

hello friend and fellow "Vet"just want to say i/we all feel your pain.just look at some of the posting i put upit reads the same as yours and as everybody else's.but also what we all have in common besides going thru the pain of "SSDI".is that we all are here to lend and ear and support.you'll find how such alittle thing like that means a whole lot.i know we are strangers,but we care and as for the "Gun"dont think your the only one who also though of that...we all have....if you just want to just vent your feeling,me and a young lady here by the name of "LegalMania"has set up a section just for that