He applied for SSD back in July & did all the usual paperwork & returned calls giving more info; then they stated that they want him to see one of their Dr.s; so he went & my son (afterwards) stated that he thinks it went well. So now he'll just wait for a decision.
Does seeing their Dr's. give you a better chance of getting approved or getting disapproved or no effect at all? And is their a time-line on how long he has to wait for a decision? Thanks for any help.

Jayco

I applied in April 05 after being in a car accident. I had my 1st anterior cervical fusion at C6-C7 on 5/2/05. I saw their SSD doctor on 11/23/05. He was a normal MD who lived about 40 miles from my home. I was using a cane, at the time, and did attempt to stand on my toes and heels, as he asked me to do, but I was unable to accomplish either. He also took an xray of my neck and told me C5-C6 was herniated and pressing on a nerve.

I didn/t tell him or SSD I was having another anterior cervical fusion on 11/29/05 at C5-C6 by another neurosurgeon who had to plate C5-C7 with 6 screws (old NS didn't put plate in). My Christmas present was my 1st denial.

I got an Attorney and he appealed on 1/16/06. Also, appeal stated I was sheduled for a Posterior Lumbar Fusion at L4-S1 on 1/18/06, but when NS got in there I was autofused at L5-S1, so he did fusion at L4-L5 with rods and screws. At 4 week check-up My NS wrote a prescription for a rollator (walker with handbrakes, 4 wheels and a seat) and also a handicapped license plate. I made a copy of the prescription and form for license plate and took down to my local Social Security office.

My birthday present (3/8) was my 2nd denial, same year 2006. So my file was moved from the Little Rock, Arkansas office to the Ft. Smith, Arkansas office. I sent letters to my 2 US Senators and Congressman. Then I called the Arkansas State Director of Social Security and asked them to check into my file.

Lo and Behold I FINALLY got my disability. The judge even stated in his decision their SSD doctor stated I was using a cane and unable to stand on my toes or heels.

The back pay came in handy to pay off some of our bills as I was working and made good money as an Accountant. However, the money doesn't help when you now know you have Archadonitis at L3-L4 which is a clumping of the nerve roots. Take pills for the nerve pain and a pain pill along with 4 muscle relaxers.

O What I would give to be able to go back to work as an Accountant, but now, I can't even push a vacuum cleaner and won't drive because I can't turn my neck to the left (have herniated disk at C7-T1). ESI's shots help for a few weeks and am getting a Cervical and Lumbar ESI on 10/20 as hubby planned a cruise hoping it would help me feel better.

Find out who your son's Senator(s) and Congressmen/women are. A lot of them have websites and on their website they have a form to fill out about inquiring into SSD files.

Hope this helps!

Hugs To Ya!
Claudia

The best evidence your son can have are Dr's that agree with his request for SSDI.I'm not sure how Dr's that SSA send you to accept applicants for SSDI.Bottom line is,your son needs to have "his"Dr.help him along the way as best as possible. Depending on many things he may or may not be approved at the application phase. So it's probably best not tgo assume approval.Age is a big factor as well. I have been going through the system fo 3 and a half yrs now. Live in FL.which is one of the most inefficant states regarding SSDI.I am awaiting my hearing.I have 3 herniated disks,stenosis,facet joint syndrome.Severe arthritis in both knees.Toe and finger joints with severe arthritis.I take opiates for pain control,sleep aids,depression drugs.I need procedures every 8-12 months to lessen back pain,had 3 knee surgeries in last 5 yrs,need another one,probable knee replacement,toe joint replacements done a couple yrs ago,yada yada yada,still got denied 2x and numerous DR's have agreed I am perm. total disabled. Its a tough system and for most takes years to be finally awarded the SSDI.Good luck to your son,in the event he be denied,he needs to contact an atty.immediatly to ontinue the fight.

Hi,
I have been waiting over 3 yrs to get my SSD approved.
I filed for SSD because of spine disorders, when I appkied for SSD they sent me to their physciatrist(sp)for evaluation, why?? Who knows, anyway he said that I was unable to return to my line of work and did not consider me retrainable fo any other work, I was still denied.
Right niow I'm waiting for a hearing that should be coming up soon if my lawyer is correct.
Now to answer your question, as has already been said it is best to have your own drs that are pulling for you and willing to fill out the paper work for SSD saying what his condition is and that he is unable to work for whatever his reasons are.
If he does get a denial then it is best to hire a lawyer to proceed there wil not be any upfront money required the attorney works for % .
One thing also that makes a big dif in getting approved is age the younger you are the harder it is to get approval.
There are some great sites out there that can answer many of your questions and they will tell you also to get a attorney if your son is denied make sure he applies for his appeal before the time runs out as if he lets the time lapse and haas to file a new claim then he will lose much of the back pay.
Tell your son good luck and not to give up, it does happen that some go right through..
LindaM(suede)

I read your post and that is some great info, contacting your state reps. I may need to use that info. My hubby had a stereotatic 3rd ventriculostomy on November 16, 2005 (brain surgery). He has a large pineal cyst and he had a skating accident, that is how all this began, and hydrocephalus formed.

He returned to work 2 months after his brain procedure, however he worked in a juvenile correction facility teaching our young juveniles a trade (bricklaying) for when they where to return to normal society. Really rough enviroment after three fights and one gang fight he cannot work.

We have two issues we are dealing with right now one of course is that never caring workman's comp system. In the gang fight his right elbow was bloodied, his right side of his neck was swollen, it broke his right lense in his glasses, and he left shoulder blade was hurt. Now get this they will treat everything on the right except his brain and that is the side he had his surgery on. They claim they treated him for a neck injury not a brain injury. Lawyer working on that one. On July 25th he went over a desk with a student two of them were fighting in his class, that is the last thing he remembers about working, he has not been back since July 27th and he will not leave our home town afraid he will not remember how to get home.

Now to the 2nd issue, he had to go to our doctor to get an excuse for not coming into work and our doctor freaked out he could not believe the shape James was in, the last time he had saw him he was still on the mend and things were improving, he told us to file immediately for SSD, which we did, he has his medical exam on Oct 11, and I am hoping that something just one little thing goes right, I am prepared for the attorney thing though, my corporate attorney at work told me he had to hire an attorney to get his ML SSD. So I am prepared to for him to be denied.

But as I said in the beginning, thank you, at least now I have a direction for when he does get denied. I love BT whether is be 1 or 2 they both have always been there when I needed them for advice!

Shown

BTW I did receive a reply back from the 3 I contacted stating they were checking into my case. Also, I did have my NS behind me. It was written in my file I was 100% disabled.

When I received my Award from the Judge, I also received a carbon copy of where he had sent a letter to all 3 of my senators and congress people.

Shown: I will be praying your husband receives his SSD soon.!

To Linda M & Backless: Will also be praying BOTH of You receive yours also.

Hugs To Ya!
Claudia

Hi Jaycojade and all,

I'm new here and haven't introduced "me" yet, but due to the significance of this issue, it rates higher.

Jaycojade, you didn't mention what type of exam your son has to have.

I had to have a PhD evaluation, which was requested/required by SSDI. My primary disabilities are physical, being severe Fibro, Degenerative Spine, Severe Myofascial Pain, Sciatica now, due to progression of the spine degeneration. I had a disectomy and laminecktomy. This sciatica pain has been reduced but it is still intolerable and has to be treated.

When I received a copy of this exam it was noted in there that she (the PhD) perceived and beleived me to be a person of integrity, therefore validating, (the following are my words) "I was not trying to get a free ride".

I belong to a group at Yahoo, Disinissues (Disability Insurance Issues) regarding LTD and SSDI and also the group which is recommended here, the one at MSN, Social Security Disability Insurance Coalition. Great resources!!. The first one I have been at for about 10 years and have received a wealth of information. I was a member there for 5 years before I filed any claims. Didinissues allows absolutely no chit chat. Strictly business and is strongly moderated. So if you are one who likes to Good Mornings , How are yous, and all polite ettiquette is a must for all you do, this group wouldn't be for you. However, it does have a sister site which does allow this type dialogue! The name of it is at the site under Files and under the GuideLines

Anyway, this exam subject has just come up again and a member has just posted recently how she had to have a Psych Eval. for SSDI and she didn't even have depresson or any mental health diagnosis. However, her eval. also stated the Psy. impression of her as being legitimate in her claim.

As soon as I left the PhD's office I did the old hand on the forehead slap thinking outloud, 'why didn't I say that', or 'how could I have forgotten this'.
When I got home I wrote a letter to my caseworker at SSDI and explained this to her, asking her if she would attach the enclosed 3 pages which I had written, to the Assessment she would be receiving from the PhD. I wrote anything down which I should have elaborated on in the PhD's office, and anything I wanted to tell her in the first place but she didn't even ask about because they follow an assessment sent from SSDI.

HINT: If you want a copy of this assessment you can't get it from SSDI. You have to sign an ROI for your DR. and they send it to him/her, then you can get the copy from your Dr.

It helps to keep in mind how the people on the other end have no idea who we are, and what kind of minset and morals we have. I always put myself in their shoes and would re-read my claim forms to see if I thought this person , meaning me, was disabled or if there was possibly some job out there which "I" could do per my work history, education, and age, keeping in mind the severity of the illnesses.

TipTie Tulip