"Disability Nightmare" cont'd. To get a lawyer or not?

Binder & Binder advertizes all over the country! Now, how can two lawyers possibly represent everyone who calls in from all 50 states? I knew I was in trouble when they told me that the lawyer from their firm who was going to represent me at the hearing would be coming down from New Jersey! And she WAS a flunkie! I never even met her until the day of the hearing! Never spoke to her on the phone or anything! The flunkies below her were doing all the talking and letter writing... they stamped on Charles Binder's name at the bottom (like I wouldn't know it was a stamp!). The only time he actually signed anything was the initial letter I received from them. When I first saw the commercial with Charles Binder wearing that stupid cowboy hat (they're located in New York City... how a cowboy hat would look "natural" on his head is beyond me) I wanted to cry for ever seeing their name! But, I had already hired them. It's very hard getting rid of one lawyer to replace with another one and I didn't have the time to waste. I SHOULD have now... hindsight is always 20/20, huh?

Thanks, Deb. Yes, I have supporting statements, from 3 doctors, actually. I had them at my last appeals hearing, too. But, some administrator there kept telling me I could do 'this' job or 'that' job and my lawyer just sat there like she was retarded or something! Yeah, Binder & Binder sent a flunkie to go to the hearing with me. The very first thing I noticed about her was that she had a large run in her stocking! I thought appearance meant a lot when in front of a judge! I never even met this lawyer until I got to the place holding the appeals hearing! I had to tell Binder & Binder I was ready to sue THEM many times before we even GOT to the hearing because of the horrible way they handled my case. When I first hired them, they told me it would take between 6 and 18 months to get a hearing date. I waited, somewhat patiently. I called them a few times during that time and they always gave me the same story. After 19 months, I called them. They said they'd call Social Security to see what was going on, then they called me back and informed me that Social Security did not have them as being my Attorney of Record, like it was Social Security's fault! It might have been, partly, but for Binder & Binder not to have called to find out what was going on for 19 months was inexcusable! It took another 11 months before I got a hearing date! Thirty months altogether... 2 and 1/2 years! I think I found a great lawyer today. I've written to him and he wrote back and sounds very good. We're to meet on Feb. 4. I will keep looking around, just in case, but this guy does sound like he means business and that he KNOWS his business. I'm just so frustrated by the whole thing! I'd LOVE to be able to work full-time. I've been called a workaholic many times in my life. I've worked since I was 14 years old with my first part-time job! I've worked 16 hour-days many times. Now, when I need help, AND have paid into Social Security all this time, they refuse to accept the word of 3 doctors, 2 of whom are specialists. I can only do whatever I can and hope for the best. We shall see, huh?

I can tell you one thing, Opal, when you see that psychiatrist, make sure you "don't" remember anything he asks you if you remember! I was sent to one, too. He sat with me for no more than 15 minutes and determined that I was just fine and dandy because I could remember 2 out of 3 things he told me to remember when we first started talking. He said, "Apples, oranges and fire truck (or something just as odd)". Then he told me to remember them. Then, he asked me about this and that and, near the end of the 15 minutes, he asked me if I could remember those three things. I answered with the apple and orange but I couldn't remember the fire truck. I can only assume that, since I remembered apples and oranges, he determined that I could hold down any job I wanted because my memory was NOT affected. Forget the fact that I couldn't remember that really odd thing, the fire truck. (To this day I can't remember what it actually was, just that it was very odd and had nothing to do with fruit or round objects.) They hire doctors who will testify on THEIR side. I honestly don't think the doctor I saw was actually a practicing doctor! He was OLD, and when I got to his "office", it was more like a small apartment, filled with boxes piled everywhere and all kinds of things you wouldn't think would be in a doctor's office. They hired him to recommend that I could work, simple as that. BE VERY CAREFUL! I think I've found a good lawyer. He told me that he'll actually need more time to prepare for my case and will have to postpone this hearing. That sounds good to me! Not that I want to postpone it... again... but I want a great lawyer who will get me the disability services I should have been getting seven years ago! All I'm waiting on now is a letter from those stupid attorneys, Binder & Binder, stating that they waive any and all rights to any fees associated with my case. Good luck to you! I truly hope yours doesn't turn into a disability nightmare like mine has!