Disability Related Scams - be wary of where you get your information

A while back I mentioned to the webmaster of a very prominent and very useful disability resource site (for his site, emphasis is listing disability resources of all kinds, in all countries) that I was "looking into" what might be a disability scam. Today, he wrote me and asked what I had managed to find out. I won't post all the damning evidence I turned up about these people, but the email I

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Disability Resources for Someone Who Needs a Wheelchair

An extraordinarily nice gentleman who heads the International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet forwarded a letter to me which he received from the adult child of a parent who is now in the hospital. This individual's mother is still hospitalized and will need a wheelchair. After I wrote my response, I realized that some of the information I included may be useful to disability

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When it comes to Disability benefits, be wary of where you get your information from

A very nice person named Erica visited this blog recently and posted a situation she has regarding her case. Without reposting her comment (you can read it as one of the comments on the 10/19/05 post), I'll just summarize it as this: she may have an overpayment situation that has occurred as a result of bad information she received. Unfortunately, when it comes to disability (whether you are

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The Social Security Disability Process - a long and lengthy wait for most

This is a paraphrased version of an brief article I wrote for a site. It's really just a heads-up to those who are entering the disability system that a claim can take an exceedingly long time. Since most claimants know very little about the system when they begin (typically, this doesn't change throughout the process) and the article has a good bit of advice, or two, I thought I would repost it

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To reiterate the last post on Disability Reform (so many acronyms: ssd, ssdi, rsdi, ssi, dib)

This is something I wrote a long time ago, but it is right on target with the last post I made which referenced reform and how things really get done at DDS.Here's an excerpt:"Very often, DDS doctors (also referred to as Medical consultants and Medical examiners) come to conclusions that are very different from the doctors who actually treat claimants. Why is this? Basically, it's for this reason

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Social Security Disability - reform and suggestions regarding

There's an excellent site online - www.disabilitydoc.com - and I couldn't help but comment on one of Dr. Holden's (a former dds medical consultant) writings.Here's the doc's post regarding reform suggestions: http://www.disabilitydoc.com/commissioners-new-plan-letter/Dr. Holden's got a few interesting points. One, disability examiners don't get enough medical training. As a former examiner myself

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Social Security Disability (ssd, ssdi) and SSI

Here's a good alternative medicine page on carpal tunnel syndrome and RSI. Facts about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Filing for DisabilityFacts about Repetitive Stress Injury and Filing for DisabilityI hope these links are helpful. I have some experience with carpal tunnel syndrome, both as an observer and as someone who has been semi-afflicted with the condition. I say semi-afflicted because I

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Degenerative disc disease, disability, and activities of daily living

I'm now 1 week and 2 days out from my back injury and I'm doing much better. But I'm not completely out of the woods just yet. Still wearing a back brace and occasionally taking percocets for pain. And sitting for long periods is as bad as any disability claimant ever remarked on a 3368 (disability application).And I now have an insight into the vacuum-sweep ADL thing. Here's what I mean:

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Lupus, Chronic Fatigue, and Fibromyalgia Resources

For those who are interested in alternative medicine as it relates to various conditions, here are some links that may be of particular interest.Alternative Medicine and fibromyalgiaAlternative Medicine and LupusAlternative Medicine and Chronic fatigue syndrome aka CFS aka CFIDSReturn to the Social Security Disability SSI Benefits BlogOther Posts:Applying for disabilityAre you automatically

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A few thoughts on Back Pain and Social Security Disability

It is now a little over a week since I injured my back and, fortunately, I am on the mend; that is, with the help of many doses of flexeril, percocet, a back brace, ice packs (the freezeable gel kind) to keep the inflammation down, and a spouse who didn't mind helping me put my socks on.This, of course, is not the first time that my lower back has completely "gone out". But this has been the

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Back pain - A first person perspective

One of the most commonly listed impairments on social security disability and ssi disability applications is lower back pain. Why is this condition so "common"? Well, it's simply due to the way humans are built. The lower back area (particularly L5-S1) is the point at which we bend to pick up things and we often use it as a fulcrum to lift heavy objects. Unfortunately, because lower back problems

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NATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY COUNCIL SAYS NEW SSA CLAIMS PROCESS WILL LEAVE MORE DISABLED WITHOUT BENEFITS OR RIGHT TO APPEAL DENIALS

"Council Assessment Notes Serious Flaws in Plan to Shorten Processing Times"Return to the Social Security Disability SSI Benefits BlogOther PostsHow many people win Social Security Disability Benefits Are you automatically denied for Social Security Disability or SSI when you first apply with an initial application ? Who makes the Social Security Disability decision ? Filing for disabilitySocial

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Does the government really care about disability applicants?

I just got off the phone, not 3 minutes ago, with a disability claimant. He needs to have his reconsideration filed and I asked him if he had been seen by any doctors recently. He gave the all too common answer: "No, I haven't been able to go. My insurance ran out a long time ago".This is a very common situation. And I've heard it so much that I've become somewhat desensitived to it. But...if you

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Crap! I've been BLOGGED

Well, this is why people turn off their comments. I got my comment on the post before this one and it's some "person" who is trying to get links to some dubious crap site about unlimited wealth. Holy Negative Capitalistic tendencies, Batman!Return to the Social Security Disability SSI Benefits BlogOther Posts:SSD Are you automatically denied for Social Security Disability or SSI when you first

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Thinking of applying for social security disability or ssi? Stop thinking and just do it!!

I've been getting a ton of mail lately and one thing stands out amazingly loud and clear: too many disability claimants are waiting way too long to get their applications going.In fact, it's almost stunning how many people are out there in their forties, fifties, even in their late fifties, with significant physical and/or mental impairments and yet have not filed for social security disability

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Don't always believe what you hear, even if they're just trying to be nice

I have a dear friend who used to work for the Department of Social Services (cumberland county north carolina - I used to work there too, once upon a time as a medicaid caseworker, afdc caseworker, and food stamp caseworker) and, most recently, worked for the state of North Carolina's Division of Medical Assistance. Well, she just filed for title II benefits today. For those who aren't aware,

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