Re: disability claim-how to

December 19, 2008

That is fabulous and so rare!

________________________________

To: livercirrhosissupport

Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 8:24:39 PM

Subject: Re: disability claim-how to

I wanted to make a little comment because this reminded me of

something. When I got my SSDI, I was supposed to pay the lawyer from

my lump sum, but he decided he didn't want it after all, so I only

had to pay for paper work, about $70. He was a great lawyer who

specialized in people with Hepatitis C. He's in Chicago.

Penny

> > >

> > > Thank you all for your many prayers. Sharon has received the

> answer

> > from her long term disability insurance company. The answer is

yes,

> > approved. For those of you who are new here, my wife has Chiari

> > malformation, and Ehlers Danlos syndrome. EDS is the underlying

> cause

> > of the Chiari, but Chiari is a condition where part of the brain

> > herniates into the spinal canal. The hole in your head is called

> > the " foramen magnum " , (Latin for " big hole " ) and her

> foramen magnum

> > had to be enlarged in June of 2007. She had a surgery to

disconnect

> > her spinal cord from it's ligament in May, 2008. There was a

total

> of

> > 3 surgeries in 3 years. They did not have the desired effect. The

> > posterior fossa decompression, as the 2006 surgery was called was

> > made into a movie. The movie is here-

> > >

> > > part one- http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=6xZXEjliyYY

> > >

> > > part two- http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=AK-

> > VJDlGyto & feature= related

> > >

> > > part three- http://www.youtube. com/watch?

> > v=KELl6FevEbo & feature=related

> > >

> > > She says that when your husband has end stage liver disease ,

and

> > that is a minor problem, your life is pretty screwed up.

> > > We had already started packing our house. She was supposed to

get

> > this in June.

> > > We can breath a temporary sigh of relief. Thank you all for

your

> > prayers and support. Love, Bobby

> > >

> > > long life, old age, everything good-Apache prayer

> > >

December 19, 2008

This is true. My sister has end stage kidney failure. She applied for SSDI and

was immediately approved.....in fact they back dated hers to when she was

diagnosed....so she got a nice lump sum check. She deserved it...after her

employer dumped her!

Love,Jill

We don't remember days, we remember moments.

Life is not measured by the breaths we take,but by the moments that take our

breath away.

From: Bob Aragon <robwalkingeagle@ yahoo.com>

Subject: Re: Re: disability claim-how to

To: livercirrhosissuppo rtyahoogroups (DOT) com

Date: Monday, December 15, 2008, 2:50 PM

Hi, Barby. This is what I know about Social Security Disability. You can get

this even if you are not retirement age. In order to qualify, you have to

demonstrate that your liver disease is causing a day to day inability to work.

The government's own criteria is so strict, that to qualify by your lab

tests, you would be dead. here are those numbers-

http://www.thedisab ilityexpert. com/Liver% 20Disease% 20and%20Applicat

ions%20for% 20Social% 20Security% 20and%20Suppleme ntal%20Security% 20Income%

20Disability% 20Benefits. htm

The

Social Security Administration evaluates all chronic liver disease the

same way whether it is caused by cirrhosis, hepatitis, or some other

cause. Liver disease including hepatitis and cirrhosis is a common

reason for applying for Social Security and/or Supplemental Security

Income disability benefits. Many of these cases are denied. The

people who are found disabled due to liver disease, including hepatitis

and cirrhosis, are very, very ill. There are a number of ways that a

person with chronic liver disease including hepatitis and cirrhosis can

be found disabled.

liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver

If a person with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis or cirrhosis,

has a history of a massive hemorrhage due to esophageal varices, then the

person will be considered disabled for 3 years after the last massive

hemorrhage. After the 3 years are over, the person's Social Security

and/or Supplemental Security Income disability case will be reviewed to see if

the person is still disabled.

liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver

A person with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis and

cirrhosis, will considered disabled for 3 years after a shunt operation

for esophageal varices. After the 3 years are over, the person's

Social Security and/or Supplemental Security Income disability case

will be reviewed to see if the person is still disabled.

liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver,

liver

A person with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis and

cirrhosis, will be found disabled if he or she has a serum bilirubin of

2.5 mg. per deciliter or greater persisting for at least 5 months upon

repeated examination.

liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver

A person with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis and cirrhosis,

will be found disabled if he or she has ascites, not attributable to other

causes, demonstrated by abdominal paracentesis or associated with persistent

hypoablbuminemia of 3.0 gm per deciliter or less.

liver, liver, liver, liver, liver, liver liver, liver, liver, liver, liver,

liver

If a person with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis and

cirrhosis, has hepatic encephalopathy; then the resulting mental limitations

are evaluated under the Social Security Administration¢ s regulations for

evaluating mental conditions.

liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver, hepatitis, hepatitis, cirrhosis

A person with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis and cirrrhosis,

will be found disabled if his or her chronic liver disease is confirmed by

liver biopsy and the person has at least one of the following:

· Ascites not attributable to other causes, recurrent or persisting

for at least 3 months, demonstrated by abdominal paracentesis or associated

with persistent hypoalbuminemia of 3.0 gm. per deciliter (100 ml.) or less

· Serum bilirubin of 2.5 mg. per deciliter (100 ml.) or greater on

repeated examinations for at least 3 months

· Hepatic cell necrosis or inflammation, persisting for at least 3

months, documented by repeated abnormalities of prothrombin time and enzymes

indicative of hepatic dysfunction BUT- You can be found to EQUAL these

criteria, or even be found disabaled without any of them, if you have a needle

biopsy, and SYMPTOMS. Symptoms are hard to prove. For instance- pain. My

lawyer went to the judge and told him, " you honor, my client has terrible

significant chronic pain. Now , I know this court sees this complaint often, but

not often does it see the same patient being treated by a pain doctor, and with

opioid medications, which are not freely given out, I argue that his symptom of

pain is more credible than someone who would report pain as a symptom, but yet

receive no treatment for it. "

In a case like Sharon's, she has a provable condition, and three surgeries

to try to fix it, but on her application we were focused on HOW it affects her.

HOW it makes her not able to work. HOW she is dizzy all the time. Her

application can be summed up like this-

1-I've got one continuous HEADACHE since 2002, which has not gone away,

2-I'm nauseated

3-I'm dizzy

4-my joints hurt

5-I can't stay awake in the daytime,

6-I can't sleep at night.

7-I can't remember words and even things, times, people, and places,

8-I my hands hurt

period.

it does mention her medical condition, but does not focus on it. He condition

looks like this-

Ehlers Danlose syndrome, Chiari malformation, Basilar impression, platybasia,

retroflexed odontoid, scolioisis, tethered cord syndrome

[postural-orthostat ic-tachycardia- syndrome( not complete diagnosis yet)]

The SSA will not know what all that means, and will not care. They want to know

what is causing this woman to not be able to work.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

My case looked like this=

I have liver disease which causes me chronic pain, nausea, shortness of breath,

mental confusion, day-night reversal,

fatigue, exhaustion.

And to aswer your specific question, yes , cirrhosis is a terminal illness as

defined by the SSA and will expedite your case, says my attorney.

Good luck. Love, Bobby

life, old age, everything good-Apache prayer

____________ _________ _________ __

From: pinkmeetsblue <itsabnbthing@ bellsouth. net>

To: livercirrhosissuppo rtyahoogroups (DOT) com

Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 7:37:29 AM

Subject: Re: Sharon's disability claim-approved

hey bobby this caught my eye, what do you mean ?you got your

disability faster because of the cirrhosis or because you had a

laywer? bobby glenn really wants to get his started but we are not

sure how to live while we wait, plus i went to the site and i dont

think his #s are bad enough yet to sign up.he goes to the dr. for the

hep. today to see about treatment again ,were as hes been off the

meds. hopefully he can get started but i am here to tell you the poor

guy suffers alot some days more than others.hes been laid off till

after the first of the yr. when work picks back up so he thinks now

is the time while he has umeployment coming in. hopefully the dr. can

help advise us today too, but truthfully i trust you more than him

lol.much love barby

> >

> > Thank you all for your many prayers. Sharon has received the

answer

> from her long term disability insurance company. The answer is yes,

> approved. For those of you who are new here, my wife has Chiari

> malformation, and Ehlers Danlos syndrome. EDS is the underlying

cause

> of the Chiari, but Chiari is a condition where part of the brain

> herniates into the spinal canal. The hole in your head is called

> the " foramen magnum " , (Latin for " big hole " ) and her

foramen magnum

> had to be enlarged in June of 2007. She had a surgery to disconnect

> her spinal cord from it's ligament in May, 2008. There was a total

of

> 3 surgeries in 3 years. They did not have the desired effect. The

> posterior fossa decompression, as the 2006 surgery was called was

> made into a movie. The movie is here-

> >

> > part one- http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=6xZXEjliyYY

> >

> > part two- http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=AK-

> VJDlGyto & feature= related

> >

> > part three- http://www.youtube. com/watch?

> v=KELl6FevEbo & feature=related

> >

> > She says that when your husband has end stage liver disease , and

> that is a minor problem, your life is pretty screwed up.

> > We had already started packing our house. She was supposed to get

> this in June.

> > We can breath a temporary sigh of relief. Thank you all for your

> prayers and support. Love, Bobby

> >

> > long life, old age, everything good-Apache prayer

> >

December 19, 2008

they turmed ,e dpwm fpr SSID because I am getting long term disability.

Lyncia

In life family and friends take us on all kinds of adventures, God helps us

choose our path....Enjoy your journey!