After an initial denial of benefits, I appealed the decision and hired an attorney. Finally 14 months later I had my hearing date! This past November 2011 I was awarded benefits retroactive to September 2010. It felt like it took forever!!!
I also have lupus - you'd think the benefits would have been granted the first time around! It should have been a no-brainer from the beginning.
I collected all medical records myself to keep attorney costs low. The form that my attorney gave my neurologist to complete was then submitted to the judge. In the judge's written decision, he said he could not consider this form when making his decision because of the absence of any references to the laws governing SSD. Whuk?
I met with the attorney twice - once when I hired him, and the night before the hearing. The night before the hearing, my attorney advised me that the judge had a reputation for being very FAIR and he thought we had a 50/50 chance of winning. He also said there would be no decision made at the hearing and I would have to wait 30 days for that. It made me nervous and as it turns out, he was all wrong!
The morning of the hearing at 9:05, the judge's secretary called me at home and said the judge reviewed my medical records that morning and "agreed to pay the case" and no appearance was necessary. Yay!!!! He used my written testimony that I had submitted with my initial application in 2010 - before the appeal.
I have to ask myself how did this attorney help me? I wonder if just being represented by an attorney makes the court take your case more seriously. I know there are better attorneys out there than the one I chose... I hate having to fork over 25% of the settlement to him!
I'm just grateful this is over. Still waiting on the check. should be here soon...
I also have lupus - you'd think the benefits would have been granted the first time around! It should have been a no-brainer from the beginning.
I collected all medical records myself to keep attorney costs low. The form that my attorney gave my neurologist to complete was then submitted to the judge. In the judge's written decision, he said he could not consider this form when making his decision because of the absence of any references to the laws governing SSD. Whuk?
I met with the attorney twice - once when I hired him, and the night before the hearing. The night before the hearing, my attorney advised me that the judge had a reputation for being very FAIR and he thought we had a 50/50 chance of winning. He also said there would be no decision made at the hearing and I would have to wait 30 days for that. It made me nervous and as it turns out, he was all wrong!
The morning of the hearing at 9:05, the judge's secretary called me at home and said the judge reviewed my medical records that morning and "agreed to pay the case" and no appearance was necessary. Yay!!!! He used my written testimony that I had submitted with my initial application in 2010 - before the appeal.
I have to ask myself how did this attorney help me? I wonder if just being represented by an attorney makes the court take your case more seriously. I know there are better attorneys out there than the one I chose... I hate having to fork over 25% of the settlement to him!
I'm just grateful this is over. Still waiting on the check. should be here soon...
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