Disability hearing experience to share

[Guest guest]

Two weeks ago I had my appeal hearing for Soc. Sec. Disability ...

the initial claim was denied. I was told by the intake person at the

Social Security office when I applied that claims are more readily

denied during a slow economy and to not be discouraged. She explained

that the Soc. Sec. people hope to weed out people trying to file

bogus claims for income when employment is slow.

It took about a year for my appeal hearing was given from the time I

first applied, but about 6 mos. from the time I asked for a hearing.

The hearing had in attendance expert witnesses for the Soc. Sec.

Administration, one a doctor who looked old enough to have been

retired years ago as well as an occupational therapist. They have a

point of bias to find proof from your medical records that will show

you capable of working, even sedentary work. The doctor was quite

negative and misused the information choing to respond to select

parts of my massive file. His summation was that my fatigue was

psycho-somatic because there are no tests or clear protocal for

diagnosing CFS, hence it doesn't really exist. When I was able to

speak, biting my tongue listening to him talk about me as if I'm

someone I don't even know, I asked him one pointed question. I asked

the doctor is he recognizes the Centers For Disease Control, National

Institutes of Health, and Journal of the American Medical Asoociation

as credible medical sources, he had no choice except to say YES. I

sited from text I had from each entity their references about CFS and

how doctors can diagnose it, he was left to sit quietly. In the end

the judge ( adminstrative law judge is an advocate for the people ),

asked the therapist if I was likely to miss 3 or more days of work

per month if I did work, her answer was YES ... he followed by asking

her if employers are likely to accept such absences, she

answered ...NO. My legal representative feels very strongly that the

judge will use the Occupational therapists assesment to make his

decision. I was told that I was very believable and credible and that

I forced the focus to stay on science that proves that there is a

symptoms list and recovery prognosis based on the most recognized

MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT resources.

Hope this helps somebody, now I'm totally wasted ...

Reggie