I applied for SS Disability on 9/16/05. Will I get it & when?

Question

I am a 55 yr. old female and I applied for SSD 1 1/2 yr. ago. I had enough credits on 10-17-1987 & was told that if approved I would get approx. $900 mo. I have very advanced arthritis in my foot, edema, shoulder & neck pain, depression, & panic attacks. My depression has deepened since I had a "close brush with death" 6mo. ago, and lost my fiance of 13 yr. in Dec.I have seen my family dr. approx. 3 times a year, therapist twice a mo. and psychiatrist quarterly. I was a telemarketing mgr. at last job. I am curious if they would deny me at my age & health. When would I find out? My hearing should be in the next 6-8 months. Would I get backpay?

Answer 1

I am a therapist and have heard lately that the DDS (Disability Determination Service) has been very strict on approving claims. The criteria have to be met that you are totally unable to work (even with accomodations). It is possible they could deny you. It all depends on the extent to which your symptoms are disabling.

I had heard in the past that people could qualify with a mental disability easier. However, I have not been seeing people qualify lately if they have not been hospitalized due to mental issues and/or be under some sort of intensive psychiatric care (deemed seriously mentally ill by the state) or in a partial hospitalization program, etc.

There was an ad or commercial saying 1/2 million Americans were on Prozac (one of many antidepressants) a few years ago. This means there are many people out there with depression taking medication and still able to work. I'm not saying thats the case with you, but I am just adding what I know to the picture.

Answer 2

You should have heard by now, give the Social Security office in your state a call and tell them it's been over a year since you filed your claim and ask them when you'll find out if you were approved for SS disability or if they even got the papers. After all is said and done, they'll probably deny you the first time you try for it, but re-apply immediately, they deny almost everybody the first time, I think it's to weed out the fake claims and such, if they deny you a second time, you'll probably need a lawyer to get it. As for back pay, they may take it all the way back to the day you were considered disabled (year and a half ago), or not at all, it depends on your case. Good luck.

Answer 3

Do you have an attorney for you hearing? If not, you should consider getting one. With your previous work being sedentary (or what will be aruged as sedentary) it is unlikely that you will "grid". If you don't have an attory, visit: http://www.nosscr.org/
for a phone number to call (at the bottom of the page). They can refer you to an atty in your area who specializes in disability law.

Your age is in your favor as well as your psychological symptoms in addition to medical ones. The majority of cases are won at the hearing level, but it all depends on the judge and the experts, if any.

As for backpay, it all hinges on when the judges decides you became disabled. There is a mandatory 5 month waiting period. If you applied and the judge uses your date of application as your onset date (the date you became disabled) your back pay will be from March 2006 until the month of your hearing. (March because you applied mid-month). So, if awarded you will get at least 1 year of back pay.

Also, depending on your date last worked and date last insursed (the date your credits are paid in to.) you may also end up being awarded SSI as well. They will "process" you after the hearing should you receive a favorable decision. (you won/were awarded).


****** just read some of the other answers. If your hearing is set to be scheduled in the next 6-8 months, you do not have another 2 year wait. You have at least a 50/50 chance of being awarded at your hearing, better with an atty. The majority of cases are won at the hearing level. Sometimes you will be sent out for tests and asked to come back for a 2nd hearing. This is within a few months, not years. Should you not win at your hearing, you may appeal. A decision from the Appeals Council on average takes 1 1/2 years. You may file a new claim while your wait for a decision from the Appeals Council.

Answer 4

I am near your age and have just received disability for similiar conditions. It's a normal practice to be denied the first time you go to court - which is a 2 year wait. But immediately reapply. Then another 2 year wait. Yes, you do receive back pay. But if you receive any government help for survival purposes during waiting period this needs to be paid back, which the gov't takes first. It's worth the wait because you have no other choice. Hang in there, you'll get it because they figure past 50 years old you enter a different work catagory, not as employable. And with an added disability it makes you pretty much now not marketable. That's what my papers stated.

Answer 5

You are looking at 2 1/2 years to get through your denials and appeals. SS. normally denies your first request, then you apply for reconsideration, then they deny that. So then you request an administrative judge decide and you get an attorney. It's not something you want to fight on your own(my opinion only). So there is time to gather evidence(medical records,hospital records, anything to do with what you are saying is messed up,statements froms others regarding your health and job capacity. Then if you win, you get money from the date you applied/or the date you are determined to be totally disabled. Lawyer fees are taken out, usually 33% of your total is common. Will they give it to you the first time? I would guess no, but I'm not a doc or anything like that. Your age may be brought in question, but it isn't the only deciding factor. Good luck on journey..............hope it goes well.

Answer 6

Actually 'noname' has it about right -- often they routinely deny the first claim to weed out the ones that are serious enough to appeal. When you appeal, you hire an attorney and yes you get back pay all the way to the date of the original filing.

This might sound harsh but it's 'the word' out there that this is how things work.

Sometimes, though, someone does luck out and get approval the first go-round. I hope that you are one of them. Just try to be prepared that it might not go as you hope, and line up a good attorney (they don't ask for money upfront hon, or if you don't win your case).

Good luck to you.

Answer 7

Your profile says that you are in Illinois. Is that where you still work? There are 5 states that offer SDI and Illinois is not one of them. Do you have a private short term disability insurance? Is so you will need to go to their website and read how to apply for benefits.

Answer 8

I know that everyone gets denied the first time. When you are denied reapply!