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    #1

    Question! Rich or Anyone

    HI! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

    Ok here is the issue. My doctors asked if I have filed for SSDI, at this time I havent, but will can it seems no employer wants an employee with the inablility to walk/stand. I need to know if I should appy for Disability by using an atty or not? If so, anyone have any idea how much it cost? I have been out of work since August with the worst flare up of my MS since the DX. If I do require an attorney, can anyone recommend one in the Houston Texas area?
    Tags: None
    #2
    I'd like to recommend this website: http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/soc...sclerosis.html . I found that the whole article had useful information.

    I was able to obtain SSDI approval on my first try, quickly (it took only 3 months to get approved), and, without the assistance of an attorney. However, I would've loved to know these specific things while I was filling out my application.

    There are pros and cons to doing your own, or enlisting the assistance of an attorney.
    • An attorney knows the law well, and can do a lot of the work for you. Many people have more success with approval if they use an attorney. Their fees are controlled by the federal government, I believe. My understanding is that they cannot charge more than 25% of your back pay.
    • However, I looked into hiring an attorney. The attorney's office that I talked to had no intention of doing anything until I had already filed and been denied. So, I decided not to even retain an attorney until such time as I had a denial. Instead, because I worked very hard on my application (I spent weeks or months on it, I think, in order to get it very accurate and detailed), I was approved on my own. So, the advantage of doing it yourself is that you do not have to pay anyone back pay money.

    You could always take a look at the application, and decide if you wish to tackle it on your own. Then, if you do, and you get denied, you could retain a disability attorney after that.

    ~ Faith
    ~ Faith
    MSWorld Volunteer -- Moderator since JUN2012
    (now a Mimibug)

    Symptoms began in JAN02
    - Dx with RRMS in OCT03, following 21 months of limbo, ruling out lots of other dx, and some "probable stroke" and "probable CNS" dx for awhile.
    - In 2008, I was back in limbo briefly, then re-dx w/ MS: JUL08    .
    - Betaseron NOV03-AUG08; Copaxone20 SEPT08-APR15; Copaxone40 APR15-present
    - Began receiving SSDI / LTD NOV08. Not employed. I volunteer in my church and community.

    Comment

      #3
      Thanks

      Thanks Mama -

      Wow 3 months? They are saying that is is about 460 days to process. Honestly, I am scared to death to complete this process, I just dont see them giving me disability cause I am 37 years old and this is the first time that I have ever had loss of my mobility. If I had more history of disability maybe. But then again this is my first time to ever be faced with this. So I like you would like to do this myself, so I will look at the link that you sent and see where we go from there.

      Thanks again.
      Kara

      Comment

        #4
        I think the hardest part is admitting you are disabled. If you do it yourself do not try to gloss over your problems try to make it as realistic as possible. I did it also on my own and was approved on the first try which I am told is somewhat unusual back in 95. I too was young at 37 but I could not do my job anymore and I tried very hard to make it sound difficult (which it was) and was wordy in my descriptions of the questions. Take your time and you might have someone else read your answers as many of us have trouble with our cognitive abilities if it is a big problem I would get an attorney to work with you on this.

        Luck to you in this process

        Comment

          #5
          Yes; be very honest regarding what is difficult. Getting through a day without taking a nap. Various physical tasks. Cognitive tasks that require thinking abilities that are now challenging for you, etc. Be sure to comment, also, on how stress is different for you, since MS (if it has changed). Are you less able to deal with "normal" stressors. In what ways? Give examples.

          Some of this is a challenge for us to admit, even to ourselves, let alone to put in writing.

          Also, it doesn't matter if this is the first time your mobility is affected. What does matter is if your doctors anticipate that you will remain disabled for a year or more.

          Someone recommended to me that my doctors write, their assessment that I was "totally and permanently disabled". I was told that wording would guarantee acceptance. I didn't like those words at ALL, but, I passed the suggestion along to one of my doctors, with the caveat that he should only say that if he believed. And, he did write it in his report. I don't, exactly, know what the "totally" means. I mean, I would be able to work part time, but, I wouldn't be able to work enough hours to put me above the SSDI income eligibility. I simply don't have the stamina, and, even the stress of employment would make being able to retain a job unlikely.

          ~ Faith
          ~ Faith
          MSWorld Volunteer -- Moderator since JUN2012
          (now a Mimibug)

          Symptoms began in JAN02
          - Dx with RRMS in OCT03, following 21 months of limbo, ruling out lots of other dx, and some "probable stroke" and "probable CNS" dx for awhile.
          - In 2008, I was back in limbo briefly, then re-dx w/ MS: JUL08          .
          - Betaseron NOV03-AUG08; Copaxone20 SEPT08-APR15; Copaxone40 APR15-present
          - Began receiving SSDI / LTD NOV08. Not employed. I volunteer in my church and community.

          Comment

            #6
            I also had lawyers refuse my case until I had been denied, did it myself online, just stated the facts, I submitted it in Nov of 09 and recvd approval first week of 2/10. SS called me once to verify info and that was it, you just need to make sure your drs are in agreement with you applying and that they state that. I personally did not find the application difficult at all and completed it in less than a day.
            Plan for the future, but not too hard; it’s not your decision anyway

            Comment

              #7
              I think it is a general rule for attys to not take your case until you are denied. I did it myself and was denied. I contacted an atty and they filed the appeal. I was denied the second time too. My atty filed for the ADJ hearing and was approved. I just got the letter today about how much money I will receive. The entire process took 13 mos from the time I applied to the Tim I just got my letter. My atty gets 25% of my back pay up to a max of 6000.00 so I figure it was totally worth it to get the atty.

              Good luck to you!!!
              Sx's 5/1996 Dx'd 9/2011
              RRMS- Betaseron, Copaxone, Tecfidera, Aubagio
              Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all

              Comment

                #8
                I had short-term then long-term disability coverage through work. The long-term disability insurance company had their attorneys file the social security disablity for me so all I had to do was complete the questionaire in detail. It didn't take long to get approved and the attorney didn't cost me anything. The disability back pay check had to go to the long-term disability company anyway so I wasn't out anything.

                A local disability attorney, that I had a free consult with prior to all of this, gave me the advice to get my Dr to recommend part-time work and file disability this way. As long as you make less than what social security considers substantial (was $940 a month) you are still able to potentially get full social security. May be a requirement that you were unable to work at all for a certain amount of time too, but that might have been my disability insurance rule not social security.

                I can still work some and yet have the extra time off that I need to rest and take care of myself. I recently had to lessen my hours again due to my health but it is nice to make just a little extra money and stay in contact with my friends at work, etc.

                Anyway, I wasn't aware that you could have a job part-time (when you can work) yet apply for disability.

                Good luck to you in applying for disability or deciding what is best for you.
                May Tomorrow be a Better Day

                Comment

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