Advice of filing SSDI

[james'mommy]

I finally did the over the phone interview on friday. I am bipolar, have extreme drepression, anxiety and panic attacks. The side effect from my meds and the stress of holding a job makes me unable to work. Stress seems to be a big time trigger for me. What can I expect from her?

 

[mgilmer]

I have helped patients get disability. It can be a long process. You will need to have supporting medical documentation and statements from your therapist that you cannot engage in gainful employment. They will not take your word for anything. Good luck.

 

[Schmeck]

Wouldn't you also have to show that you have tried various types of employment and have been unsuccessful?

 

[james'mommy]

already have done the work sheet about jobs held in the last 15 years. I have basically been oow since 07. there have been various small attempts made to work but all have been a bust. basically being bipolar sucks

 

[mgilmer]

Wouldn't you also have to show that you have tried various types of employment and have been unsuccessful?

That may help, but the key will always be supporting medical reports and opinions from the claimants treating doctors and therapists. Without that, you are very unlikely to succeed.

 

[barkley]

you also need to get your doctors (all that treat you-with me it included primary care, neurologist and psych) to get on the same page and incorporate/support each other's findings in their reports.

ss looks very closely at weather all of your doctor's are in agreement as to your inability to work (being disabled is not the criteria-being disabled and unable to work is). "just" having the therapist say you are unable to work will not be enough if any of your other doctors disagree.

be prepared to have ss require an evaluation from a vocational rehab specialist-in the last few years this has been a very popular tool for them to use to evaluate the potential employability of individuals with stress and anxiety issues.

 

[mgilmer]

you also need to get your doctors (all that treat you-with me it included primary care, neurologist and psych) to get on the same page and incorporate/support each other's findings in their reports.

ss looks very closely at weather all of your doctor's are in agreement as to your inability to work (being disabled is not the criteria-being disabled and unable to work is). "just" having the therapist say you are unable to work will not be enough if any of your other doctors disagree.

be prepared to have ss require an evaluation from a vocational rehab specialist-in the last few years this has been a very popular tool for them to use to evaluate the potential employability of individuals with stress and anxiety issues.

This is all true, but under the law, the SSA must give preferential weight to treating sources over evaluating sources. If (all) your treating source(s) say you are disabled and unable to work and the Agency's evaluating source says you can work, by law the treating source wins.

 

[barkley]

This is all true, but under the law, the SSA must give preferential weight to treating sources over evaluating sources. If (all) your treating source(s) say you are disabled and unable to work and the Agency's evaluating source says you can work, by law the treating source wins.

you are correct, however, unless a treating source is going to say that a patient is ruled out from ANY kind of work a voc rehab assessment that concludes a person CAN work in a field other than the one they are disabled from can prevent approval for an application. the basis for ssd is that a person is unable to do ANY substantial work-if a treatment provider is unable or unwilling to say that a patient is excluded from 'any substantial work' and a voc rehab eval comes back saying a person can work in something the application will likely be denied.