Re: SSDI application APPROVED!!!

[Guest guest]

Steve,

That is great. I am just beginning the process and expect it to take a LONG time

but fortunately I am recieving payment each month through my work and will

continue to recieve it until if and when I recieve SSDI or until retiremnet age.

Steve micro_choice@...> wrote:

Hi all

I have been in the " final " review stage for my SSDI application, originally

submitted so long ago that I need to look at my notes to remember what YEAR

it was. I finally hired a lawyer, on the excellent advice of several

including members here. She led me to believe that it could be as much as a

YEAR before I would get the usual hearing with an administrative law judge.

But after doing what appeared to be nothing (except forwarding yet another

multi-page form that I filled out, i.e. the official request for hearing),

she did eventually, in early August, file a request for an " on the record "

decision. This is some kind of pre-hearing evaluation, used for what seems

to be cut and dried cases that should have never gone this far in appeals

anyway. Because SO much of the rest of my life has been going so poorly,

with vast unreasonable denial and delays and further declining health, I

tried not to hold out much hope for this decision (or even that it would

occur).

So imagine my surprise when I opened the letter yesterday, from the SSA. In

bold letters on the top of the first of many pages, it says " NOTICE OF

DECISION--FULLY FAVORABLE " . It then goes on to say in considerable detail

just exactly how much this particular judge officially agrees with my

doctors and me, even to the extent of declaring my disability to have

existed " far " into the past, namely to the day after I left the last job I

worked! Apparently they were swayed by my doctor's comment that the

gradually worsening conditions typically exist a long time before definitive

diagnosis. Unfortunately, any actual award of back payments (notice of which

is due sometime in the next 60 days) can only go back one year before my

application date. I knew this already, and this fact plus the likely long

process should serve as a wakeup call to others, to start the process and

get a " protected " date immediately if you've become unemployed.

So could everyone sort of collectively DANCE IN THE STREETS (or air dance in

our chairs) with me? I know, this has only happened to me, but it's still

one more little victory for all of us, in some ways. A few more neuro docs

have seen yet another mito case and learned more. One more SSA judge has

seen a complicated case and ruled reasonably. I've read (this summer?) that

SSA will be (VERY slowly of course) re-working their regs to somewhat

streamline cases like mine/ours. I gain new determination to help others

stuck in the SSA morass. My wife and I gain (albeit only a little) a

financial resource to help us (she is about to complete M.Divinity

graduation and ordination in the UCC, and we are both dedicated to ministry

to unchurched and/or " marginalized " people, which sometimes includes the

disabled).

And everyone please accept this HUGE THANK YOU from me, for all the

listening and support, as I've gone through this process. Health problems

continue of course, but I am for the moment so RELIEVED I could burst. I

sincerely hope that you will all feel a bit buoyed by this as well. If

nothing else, at least this will cut down somwhat on my whining/vents here,

for now, anyway, until I run into some other wall :-).

Steve D.

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[Guest guest]

Congrats Steve. I was sure this would eventually happen. I'm sorry

you went thru all the anxiety first. You should get back pay and

even though you needed to get a lawyer, it is definitely worth it in

the end.

Alice (Trying to dance in the streets for you :-)!)

> So imagine my surprise when I opened the letter yesterday, from

the SSA. In

> bold letters on the top of the first of many pages, it

says " NOTICE OF

> DECISION--FULLY FAVORABLE " . It then goes on to say in considerable

detail

> just exactly how much this particular judge officially agrees with

my

> doctors and me, even to the extent of declaring my disability to

have

> existed " far " into the past, namely to the day after I left the

last job I

> worked! Apparently they were swayed by my doctor's comment that the

> gradually worsening conditions typically exist a long time before

definitive

> diagnosis. Unfortunately, any actual award of back payments

(notice of which

> is due sometime in the next 60 days) can only go back one year

before my

> application date. I knew this already, and this fact plus the

likely long

> process should serve as a wakeup call to others, to start the

process and

> get a " protected " date immediately if you've become unemployed.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve,

Congratulations on finally getting your SSDI Approved!!! I am very happy

for you. It is a long road but you finally reached the end of it. Good For

You!!!

Hugs,

Ann-Marie

At 02:35 PM 8/28/2005, you wrote:

>So imagine my surprise when I opened the letter yesterday, from the SSA. In

>bold letters on the top of the first of many pages, it says " NOTICE OF

>DECISION--FULLY FAVORABLE " . It then goes on to say in considerable detail

>just exactly how much this particular judge officially agrees with my

--

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[Guest guest]

Steve, congrats on the ssd! Im so glad you got a lawyer who could help

you through this process. You've been through so much and this is such

a relief to hear, justice has prevailed! Hope you have some relief now

that the stress of this is over, the tention of going through this is

so intense, i know, and im sure this will help others who have been

leary of starting the process to fight for thier disability rights!

Big hug to ya, and my heart is dancing for joy for you! Barb

[Guest guest]

Congrats Steve!!!!

Steve wrote:

>Hi all

>

>I have been in the " final " review stage for my SSDI application, originally

>submitted so long ago that I need to look at my notes to remember what YEAR

>it was. I finally hired a lawyer, on the excellent advice of several

>including members here. She led me to believe that it could be as much as a

>YEAR before I would get the usual hearing with an administrative law judge.

>But after doing what appeared to be nothing (except forwarding yet another

>multi-page form that I filled out, i.e. the official request for hearing),

>she did eventually, in early August, file a request for an " on the record "

>decision. This is some kind of pre-hearing evaluation, used for what seems

>to be cut and dried cases that should have never gone this far in appeals

>anyway. Because SO much of the rest of my life has been going so poorly,

>with vast unreasonable denial and delays and further declining health, I

>tried not to hold out much hope for this decision (or even that it would

>occur).

>

>So imagine my surprise when I opened the letter yesterday, from the SSA. In

>bold letters on the top of the first of many pages, it says " NOTICE OF

>DECISION--FULLY FAVORABLE " . It then goes on to say in considerable detail

>just exactly how much this particular judge officially agrees with my

>doctors and me, even to the extent of declaring my disability to have

>existed " far " into the past, namely to the day after I left the last job I

>worked! Apparently they were swayed by my doctor's comment that the

>gradually worsening conditions typically exist a long time before definitive

>diagnosis. Unfortunately, any actual award of back payments (notice of which

>is due sometime in the next 60 days) can only go back one year before my

>application date. I knew this already, and this fact plus the likely long

>process should serve as a wakeup call to others, to start the process and

>get a " protected " date immediately if you've become unemployed.

>

>So could everyone sort of collectively DANCE IN THE STREETS (or air dance in

>our chairs) with me? I know, this has only happened to me, but it's still

>one more little victory for all of us, in some ways. A few more neuro docs

>have seen yet another mito case and learned more. One more SSA judge has

>seen a complicated case and ruled reasonably. I've read (this summer?) that

>SSA will be (VERY slowly of course) re-working their regs to somewhat

>streamline cases like mine/ours. I gain new determination to help others

>stuck in the SSA morass. My wife and I gain (albeit only a little) a

>financial resource to help us (she is about to complete M.Divinity

>graduation and ordination in the UCC, and we are both dedicated to ministry

>to unchurched and/or " marginalized " people, which sometimes includes the

>disabled).

>

>And everyone please accept this HUGE THANK YOU from me, for all the

>listening and support, as I've gone through this process. Health problems

>continue of course, but I am for the moment so RELIEVED I could burst. I

>sincerely hope that you will all feel a bit buoyed by this as well. If

>nothing else, at least this will cut down somwhat on my whining/vents here,

>for now, anyway, until I run into some other wall :-).

>

>Steve D.

>

>

>-

>