Filing for Dissability Benefits
By SandeeE
@SandeeE (346)
United States
November 27, 2011 5:38pm CST
I have been told I should look into filing for Disability but for some reason the process (well what little I know) is very intimidating to me and I keep just putting it off and off.
Does anyone have any suggestions or idea about the process and how successful it is to get on dissability for arthritis? What should I expect and do I need a lawyer or file on my own and can I file online or do I have to file with paper at the social security office? (see I don't even know where to file)
1 person likes this
2 responses
@gaea23 (252)
• Philippines
28 Nov 11
You have to directly go to the nearest SSS office in your place. Go in the right department (Sickness/Disability Dept.). Get a form there and fill it up, there is a portion wherein your doctor must write the diagnosis and have it sign by your attending doctor and for how many days you need treatment. If you are employed then you can also file a Sickness Notification (this is for partial disability), and SSS will validate the computation you received for the specified number of days you were not able to work according to the compensation you received a month. Always remember to ask the SSS personnel not to the fixer, it may give you confusion and may even bother you when you're check arrives. Please be advise that you have to go directly there and ask SSS, they are willing to help you and also SSS Office has a lawyer, you can ask them.
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@Chakazuluu (14)
• United States
28 Nov 11
In addition SS automatically deny you three times. They do this to weed out those that do not have serious conditions and also those that are unwilling to be persistent. Persistence pays off in this respect.
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@jesscatapano (14)
•
28 Nov 11
I have rheumatoid arthritis and had applied for both SSI and SSD to see which I could get. After fighting it for THREE years, I was denied twice (once after 6 months and the second time was at the end of the 3 years after going to court). I did not have a lawyer because I found out about my court date at the last second and was not prepared (I also had twins earlier in the year and was running back and forth to the NICU for them and didn't have time for anything else).
I would highly suggest getting a lawyer that works specifically for these cases. They always work for free unless you win your case. Then they can only take a certain percentage of the amount you are owed from the date you applied. You won't owe them anything else. It is definitely worth it and I am kicking myself for not having done it myself because I lost 28k in back pay thanks to all the other stuff in my life.... I now have to completely reapply from the beginning..
Good luck!!
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@SandeeE (346)
• United States
29 Nov 11
Oh no that's awful. And with your kind of arthiritis I would not understand how they would deny it? Mine is Osteo the basic form, but I hurt daily. Mornings are the worst w/a good amount of pain in the evening too. But daily I hurt in my hands fingers wrists, arms toes feet legs knee. I do have neck and back pain too. Basicially I cant do much repetivie motion anything w/out sever pain. I have a one year old I can't even hold for long because my arms hurt so bad and even go numb or tingly but get weak .. it's hard to explain. I cannot bed long, sit long stand long ANYTHINGN is painful for long. I have a knee that's bad and I've had injections etc but still need some surgery to re align the knee because I cannot run or go up and down staris normally. I cannot kneel or move certain ways w/out pain in the knee. I am 35 and feel 80 making it very hard to parent let alone trying to find a job and maintain a good job. I am in school for a great career that I am afraid I won't be able to actualy do anything with. : [
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