Can One Sue The Government--would just love to sue Social Security
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
May 19, 2007 6:41pm CST
A lot of you been following the mix up I'm having--to out it mildly with the SSI Disability fiasco in that Social Security completely stopped my benefits putting me in a very precarious position as I haven't been able to pay any of my bills--a friend of mine did loan me a few bucks to pay half the rent--but I haven't been able to pay my utilities or anything like that
I'm now in the process of filling out the Request For Waiver Of Overpayment SSA-632 form to demonstrate how I can't pay the so-called over payment claim they are making, that because they paid me during the months of October 2006 to April 2007, since I had inherited my millions from my mother...NOT...at least that's what they think--I now owe THEM $4910.00. I had demonstrated by filling out forms (hey I'm getting expert at filling these forms) to them previously that the little bit of money I did inherit from that policy of my mom's when she died did go toward her funeral expenses..like what? I wasn't supposed to properly attend to her funeral needs? Was I supposed to put her in a bag and throw her in the Hudson River?? (See my humor is still intact--LOL)
So I'm getting a good laugh now, and laugh with me as I fill out this new form--one of the things it asks--is to list if "You or a member of your household own a car, (other than the family vehicle), van, truck, camper, motorcycle or any other vehicle or a boat list below.."
Gee, should I list that extra Masaraiti, Ferrari, BMW, and Rolls Royce I have?? Or let me not forget my yacht!!
Another thing they ask:
"If you or a member of your household own any real estate (buildings or land) Other than where you live or own of have an interest in, any business, property, or valuables, describe below.."
My I guess I'll have to list my Chalet in the Swiss Alps, my Chateau in Bordeaux, France, my island off the Bahamas, and my country manor estate in England
I mean is this ridiculous or what?
Thing is I'm so ticked off I would sure love to sue the government just in principle of this whole thing...wonder..has it ever been done????--I mean from some of the responses I've gotten over my SSI disability thing I know that others have or are going through their dramas as well...So I would just love to sue the jerks!
12 people like this
15 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
okay will call on Monday...I have A LOT of calls to make on Monday!!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
Oh--I guess people with disabilities aren't allowed to go out at all...how stupid
@AmbiePam (92714)
• United States
20 May 07
I go from being grateful I'm on SSI, to depressed because it messes up so badly, which causes me to be off on other things. It takes me about a week to get people to fix the problems I often have with it, and sometimes I'm not even surprised when I get the letter in the mail that tells me my benefits have been decreased. Four phone calls later they admit they are wrong, but don't apologize. It's heartbreaking. We depend on them and we can't afford mistakes. To penalize you for taking care of the passing of your mother is just what makes everyone so distrustful of anything government related.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
So they penalize you for moving??? Idiots
2 people like this
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
20 May 07
As a former paralegal, yes, you can sue the government, but very few cases have ever won, it is extremely hard and all the money for filing and if you lose is paid by YOU, so not worth it. One time I was driving down the street and a manhole cover was off and missing from the middle of the road, needless to say I hit it and lost 2 tires, they both went flat, being a paralegal I thought it would be an easy case to sue, funny, I attempted to, but they used the act of god provision and said I was s**t out of luck. With that said, best for you to call Legal Aid and get them to handle your SSI claim for you, so you won't be frustrated by all this mess, I am sure this is not the end of it, probably just the beginning of what they can do to make your life MISERABLE. Take care, it will get better if Legal Aid takes over.
2 people like this
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
20 May 07
They claimed that they did not remove the manhole cover so it was an act of god and you can't sue a city entity when an act of god happens, I was so angry, I had to buy 2 new tires and get my car towed home.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
How can a missing manhole cover be an act of god??? Gee,didn't know god made manhole covers!! Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsnamis, volcano eruptions, yes..Manholes?? Don't worry I plan to get legal help
2 people like this
@sigma77 (5383)
• United States
20 May 07
I hope you are successful in suing the government. The real hard part is getting them to pay you. In effect, this government is totally broke financially. They have made promises to pay benefits in the future so that the national debt is equal to about $30,000 for every person in this country. I hope some how you get yours (money that is), I can see where the government has already given you yours...lol. Gee, I hope in 10 years my first Social Security check doesn't end up going to some dude in Bulgaria. Tell me I won't have to fill out 6 days worth of forms for Soc-Sec. Happy skiing, see you in the Bahamas, you can give me a ride in your new Bentley.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
Yeah...and I let everyone here at MyLot go for a cruise in my yacht--LOL
1 person likes this
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
20 May 07
I used to work for the VA and I know people sued them for malpractice in the hospitals. You can probably sue Social Security, but I'm not sure for what--emotional distress? Maybe a lawyer would talk to you about it. The problem is, if you could get a lawyer it would have to be on contigency, meaning s/he would take 60%-80% plus of whatever you might win, if you won! Might be worth it just for the satisfaction, tho.
Hey, don't forget to list all your diamonds!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
Oh dont get me going about VA--my dad was in the Korean War...technically speaking as the sole child and heir of his I could have asked for Survivors Veterans benefits as well...but I was told it probably be only about $60.00 a month, and also that my SSI benefits would have been decreased because of it
Oh yeah,...I forgot now let me see..I have to list my diamond tiara, my 260 carat diamond necklace--a relative of the hope diamond..didn't you know that? Oh, and my all diamond studded custom made bikini--LOL
1 person likes this
@psyche49f (2502)
• Philippines
20 May 07
Go ahead and teach them a lesson or two. Soemtimes the government needs some spanking too for being too literal and too objective in interpreting and implementing the law.
I think it is possible to sue the person in charge of your disability case to put some sense into him or her. Somebody just got too meticulous and too literal with your case and made a big deal out of it. Why don't you invite them over to your place to show them around? That is the biggest proof you can give them that the millions they are claiming are not in time deposit but had been used to settle your mother's bills.
You need to prove to them that they are wrong and the best way to do that is to invite them over to your place.
I hope the best for you.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
Thank you ever...yes the government does need a spanking!!
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8763)
• United Kingdom
20 May 07
I expect you can sue the government but just concentrate on getting your money sorted out. If the US government are as bad as the UK, you will only have to go through 101 complaints procedures with them contradicting you every step of the way and you'll have to prove that they handled the situation badly but they will somehow make it out to be your fault and it could end up costing you more than it's worth with no guaranteed result.
As for the forms, I think some are completely stupid. Why would someone with more real estate and vehicles than they can use need to apply for benefit? I wonder that too when filling in forms - do you own any property other than that which you live in? well, no because then I could rent it out or sell it and not need to be answering this question. It's just ridiculous.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
I know form questions are too ridiculous to be believed....if I had all that like you said I wouldn't need the benefits in the first place...
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
20 May 07
I am sure a person can sue the government but the chances of winning a lawsuit against them is probably extremely difficult. They have the best attorneys out there I am sure so proving they were at fault would be very hard and be very expensive. That is terrible that this happened to you and hope that you can get this situation resolved. I am sure they made a mistake somewhere and hope that you are able to get them to realize they screwed up so they will continue your payments.
1 person likes this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
21 May 07
LOL - It's good to see you've got your sense of humor still intact!
Those are some outrages questions in your case but not it all cases. So I can understand them being on the form.
As far as suing? I believe it's been done but I'm not sure over a situation similar to yours. I've heard of people suing but I can't remember what it was over.
OH - I know we have never met personally but could I stay in your English country manor this summer? LOL
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
22 May 07
Why sure you could stay in my English country manor..LOL--in fact everyone at MyLot is invited!!
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
20 May 07
It can be done and there are lawyers out there who would be willing to take it with no money up front but they take a hefty fee when you win. I'd check around. Can't hurt to and you might find one who can help. They are putting you through the wringer for no reason. You should be able to get them for at the minimum the amount you were deducted for the months till they got it straightened out, any costs in having to get it fixed, not to mention mental anguish over it all.
While filling out that form don't forget the stocks and negotiable bearer bonds you have tucked into the mattress. I just did a ton of those forms since I just applied for SSI and I know how stupid they are. Good luck.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
21 May 07
I think we are. Of course who ever designed the forms you do have to wonder about don't you? So much of it is duplicate. It's silly how much they have you fill out. I thought they were trying to reduce paper work? Couldn't prove it by me.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
So you and I are now experts in filling out those forms...right??
2 people like this
@lisado (1227)
• United States
20 May 07
We had a similar problem with our son's disability. He has been diagnosed non-verbal Autistic and is 8 years ols. He'll never be able to care for himself. He is still in diapers, even! My husband is in the Navy and I stay at home. We were fine in CA and IN, but when we moved to Virginia, they took our son's SSI and said that I owed them almost $900 due to overpayments and that my husband made to much money so they took it away totally. It was only $118 a month, anyway!! That barely covers diapers! My husband is enlisted, so we make diddly. They had added in sea pay, uniform allowance and some other benifits we weren't even getting, which put us over the income limits for a family of 3 (we have had another son since then). We appealled and lost. It's supposed to be a federal program, but apparently some states read the guidelines the way they want them to, and not the way the are supposed to.
Good luck! I hope that you're able to get that waived. That's a lot of money, even to rich folks like us. ;)
@natalie1981 (1995)
• Singapore
20 May 07
I don't know if it can be done in your country, but I know it could be done here in my country.
I've been studying Law for almost two years now. 3 more years and I'm off to take the bar exams and hopefully, be a lawyer.
Now I know that you can only sue the government if, they made a contract with you, if they sued you first, or if they waived their right to be immune from suit.
But the thing is, even if you do sue them, they would not be held responsible for the negligence of their employees, and even if you do win, it doesn't necessarily mean that they would pay you out of government funds because I think, that would take a law from Congress to appropriate funds for you.
So no matter how much you really want to sue the government, I think for reasons of practicality, it would be best if you just rant and make fun of them here in mylot. LOL.
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
20 May 07
I don't think it can be done, much as we would like to. My reasoning being that if it could be done the government would be paying out big bucks to a lot of people that they screwed over. Its not exactly fair, but maybe if we were to get some real human beings working in these agencies it might not happen like this.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
That's IT!!! They're not human beings who work for the government...they're Orcs...LOL
@us2owls (1681)
• United States
20 May 07
One of my family members has gone through this with Social Security more than once. It gets more stupid and ridiculous as it goes on. It amazes me how some of the people in the Social Security offices get their jobs. My suggestion to you would be to take everything that you have in writing and go visit your congressman. See if they can sort anything out for you. Ours was a big help.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 May 07
I did get in contact with one of my Congressmen on Friday, a representative of his who deals with SSI issues is going to call me tomorrow on Monday...
