Hi! I am brand new to the boards. I have been fighting for SSI for the last 3 1/2 years, and have my hearing on this Tuesday. Does anybody have any advice?? I am a bit scared to go before the judge. I have testified before for other types of cases but this is different My Lawyer said we have a wonderful chance of winning, because my Dystonia is worsening, and I have had a ton of complications from Hydrocephalus. Right now I just getting out of the bed in the morning is extremely painful, and all the drugs the doctors have tried, just turn me into a "zombie".

Thanks,

Ashley

Hi Ashley,

Let the judge see the real you. No make up, and no fancy clothes.

Good luck tomorrow,
ACP

Hi, Answer only the questions asked....dont go off on a tangent
look the judge in the eye when you talk to him/her
if you are in pain and need to alternate standing with sitting, dont be afraid to ask if you can stand up
take a few seconds before you answer every question to think about what you are going to say. if you do that for every question, if you are unsure what to say it doesnt look like you are making up an answer if you hesitate

dont minimize what the limitations to your life are that are caused by your illness, medications etc. can only stand so long, sit so long, walk so far etc.

being nervous is ok, most people are

if you dont understand a question ask for a clarification

bring whatever prescriptions you have with you in case the judge wants to look at them

good luck tomorrow

If your attorney has not already told you, the hearings are rather informal. Just be yourself, let the judge and expert witnesses see the real you. If you are tired, that is fine.

If you have cognitive issues, ask the judge to slow down or do whatever you need to understand the proceedings.

With what you have said, it does sound like you should get approved. Over two-thirds are approved at the hearings.

Do not expect the diagnosis to match what you think the diagnosis should be. I got approved two weeks ago but I was approved for psychological problems, not a brain injury. As my attorney said, all we wanted was a positive outcome, not an accurate outcome.

Good luck and just relax and let it happen.

Thanks for the advice. Turns out though yesterday my car broke down,and where I am living its a long drive to the mechanics, and I left my medications by accident in the car,besides the lortab, that I debating on taking it before going to court. Although then I I will get really nauseated, and sick potentially before testifying,not sure I want that to happen. My car broke down within hours of me getting a flat tire fixed.So I really hope the judge doesn't ask to see them. I also left my dress slacks that wear all the time(when I go out) in my car, so I just have on Long black cotton pants, that you would wear to a Gym and nice sweater. At least that is what I normally wear each day when I don't leave the house, so they definitely will see the real me. However, I have spent many hours in courtrooms, while I was in college, as a requirement to getting my criminal justice/psychology degree, so it is awkward for me to not wear dress pants, or a suit. My memory is pretty bad, especially when I am stressed out, like I have been the last few days. Although now that I have not had my meds today, Its pretty obvious that I am sick, between my tremors and being hunched over, and can't standing up straight, because of a old back injury(Herniated disk, and degenerative disk disease in two disks, and a slipped disk in my neck). When I had surgery a year ago they told me I should become pain free but that didn't happen especially on a freezing cold day when its snowing outside(I'm way up in the NC mountains). I had gone 5 years without treatment(Besides PT in the beginning), and ended up choosing a surgeon 4 hours from where I live, and I had to sign onto agreeing to be in a clinical trial, in order to get any form of treatment besides a spinal fusion, which I refused to do.I am leaving in about a hour to get to the courthouse on time is a 1hr 15 minute car ride. I will let you all know what happens.

Thanks for the advice. My car broke down yesterday, just hours after getting it fixed, and I was so stressed out that I left my dress pants in my car,after having it towed to the mechanic 20 miles away. I live far out in the middle of nowhere in the Great Smokey Mountains in Western NC, where its snowing pretty hard at the moment. So, the only thing I had was pants you would wear to like to the gym atleast there black, and then I left my dress shoes in my car. Then I have a turtleneck and descent looking sweater, and my tennis shoes. Thankfully though that is what I normally where around the house. Although now I feel really awkward because I have spent many hours in a court room before, as a requirement to get my criminal justice/psychology degrees. I also don't have my medications with me besides Lortab, and that makes me quite ill when I take it, so I am trying to decide whether to take it or not, as I am already so nervous and nauseated. i just hope the judge doesn't want to see them. I can't stand up straight either because of how cold it is(from my degenerative disk diease in low back,slipped disk in neck, and spasms from the dystonia). I thankfully found someone this morning that is willing to drive me the 1hr and 15 minutes to the courthouse. I had to beg one of my old swim coaches to do it, but he is like a dad to me so its alright. I have heard its good to have supporters at the hearing.

I won!! The hearing lasted like 15 minutes, and the judge was a old grandfather. He asked me to tell him why I was there, and I didn't even get through half the prepared statement i had, and he approved me. All I had to do was show him my tremors, and he saw that I had had 10 brain surgeries, as a result of hydrocephalus, and without me having to answer any questions besides what type of shunt I currently have, he started the paperwork. He then told me something wonderful, since all of my problems got really bad after having a certain type of Shunt, he told me despite the 3 year statue of limitations, in NC I have a case to sue the company that made the shunt that caused me to have so many now what looks to be permenant problems. Then he even told me the type of lawyer I needed to see about it, because he said it isn't a medical malpractice one, if my doctor did everything right and surgery and I know he did. Then the judge told me and my lawyer something that neither one of us knew. Before I turned 18 my mom was getting my dad's social security(to take care of me, but she used it actually on herself) since he died in the Army when I was 4 years old, and then I lost it when I turned 18(I was getting VA education benefits when I was in school and nothing at all over vacations), I will now be getting SSD again(and it would be the amount my dad would have gotten if he was still alive,and was disabled), and I will be getting both SSI and SSD.I was shocked, that will be enough money for me to me to finally be able to move out of my grandmother's home and live on my own. The judge said that it would take two weeks for the opinion to be written and filed. My Lawyer said that I will be able to get my direct deposit set up then, and if I don't see my first SSD or SSI check after 30 days to notify him. My lawyer also didn't tell me much about the process afterwards, and he would want to meet with me, since my case is a little complicated, but since I live 7 hours from his office we will do everything by phone and email. He is going to send stuff in the mail to help me out, I just have to email him to remind him, since he has to drive 5 hrs, to durham tomorrow for a hearing. I am suppose to drive to Durham tomorrow to go to Duke University Medical Center Thursday.

Congrats!!!

I am glad all went well in the courtroom.


Dew

Yay Swimgirl !!!!

Congrads !