Its not.just having chronic pain that will win disability. Your diagnostic test results need to say your condition is severe on.the report. You have to prove with medical and non medical evidence that your condition is so severe it.prevents.you from.performing SGA, which is $1,090 a month in 2015 doing jobs in the national economy if you're under 50. The disability.process is a complicated one and.it is a combination of.many factors that will.lead to approval.

If you have been working and have enough credits from the past 10 years, you can apply for SSDI. If you don't have enough work credits you can apply for SSI. But for SSI you can't have more than.$753 a month in unearned income in 2015 and you can't have more than $2,000 in resources. If you're married your spouses income and resources are factored in. Usually if you don't qualify for food stamps, you won't qualify for SSI. The medical part is the same for SSDI and SSI.

Have you looked on the website to see if your illness/disorder is covered by SSD/SSDI? Not everything is. You also have to have a certain amount of credits from the years that you worked. You look it up on the website and it gives you the basic rules, so you can see if your actually eligible.

You need to get copies of all of yoyr medical records and read them. Our drs don't write down everything they tell us or everything we tell them. If you have side effects from pain meds do not take it for granted that the details you've told your Dr is written in your medical records. And be sure and tell your Dr the side effects at each visit because usually slsevere side effects become less TGE longer you take a Med and SSA will assume the side effects were temporary.

I am currently trying to fight for it but I am in Canada so I'm sure it will be somewhat different. I am in the process of finding a lawyer that thinks I will have a case. It has been about a year since I first filed so it does take time and steps. I really do think that you have to have a good legal rep in order to have a chance.

Based on your work history, income for 5 to 10 years just before you became disabled you can contact the social security on the phone & find out: how many work credits you have & how many you must have to possibly qualify. I have 13 in 10 years because I taught for the state of Georgia. Public school teachers do not contribute to SS. So I needed 22 credits. I don't qualify. This part has nothing to do with what disability you have. If you don't have the credits you won't qualify.

Now the required credits are based on your age so it varies from person to person. Call for the most current #.

Ssi is based on money. You can't have more than 2000 altogether for a single, 3000 for married. That includes investments, retirement funds, car worth no more than 4500. Any financial stuff tied to your name will screw you. In Georgia they are so backed up it's likely to take 2 years to be denied & then you / disability lawyer have to fight it. Next, you might get it if your $ is low enough & you have proof of disability and that you are probably not going to work for at least the next year.that's what I found from a reputable lawyer, real research, talking to SS department themselves.

It's SO INSANE. I can barely walk & NO help for me . since I taught & planned ahead- my $ for retirement is about 40,000. When I take it out at my age I will have about 20000 which could last maybe 10 months probably less cause I have so many medical expenses and equipment I need. Now boo hoo I get it other folks have no $. What do I do if that runs out & I still can't work at all & have no income? I still won't qualify for anything cause the money I spend will be red flagged for possible fraud. Now I can barely walk so it's not fraud...

Ugh. This bites & I have had 10 nervous breakdowns the past few weeks. I quit my FT job last week and soon no more paychecks. I have been working more than 40 hrs a week while being so sick.

I have a plan a. But I am so scared of the future. ..

Thanks for listening.

Hugs
NY

In the US it is more likely that could get it if you qualify when you get a disability/ssd/ssi lawyer & they will get a lot/most of your paperwork for you which when you are so sick is necessary. It could still take 2 or more years. The SS website will say I think 3 months to 2 years. What do you do for that time? If you have a disease on the compassionate care list it could be faster. I have inflammatory arthritis which isn't even a specific disease. I'm not fully diagnosed yet cause I have A CRAP HMO.

You can go to the SS online & see the full list.

I hope that helps some one. I am so crazy from the side effects of the meds & my life is a big question mark. .. I don't want to be disabled. I want to be able to walk again. I guess everyone on here would like to go into remission, not be in constant pain, & work again. I'm so exhausted. And I'm the sickest I've ever been. I have almost every side effect of all the meds.kaiser crap hmo & a specialist that won't waste her time looking for a diagnosis because it's too hard. &^/#*! Are you f-ing kidding me? I'm not a dr but I'd like to know what organs are at risk and the right drugs that could actually help me. I was able to walk before all of this great medication & self injections.
There is my rant for the moment.
They won't help me, I have to help myself.
I'm working on getting Obamacare which should be good.
NY


NY

Thank you everyone! That was all very helpful information and I'm so sorry for those of you that are either having difficulties and/or not able to qualify for what you're looking for.

I actually was looking updisability lawyers last night just because they would clearly be more familiar and know much more than I could understand about this whole thing...have any of you worked with a lawyer for this? I'd be interested to hear!

Can anyone tell me a little more about work credits, too? I'm 32 (33 in a month) and I honestly haven't worked a ton...because of my pain. I got my BA from undergrad, then a year later went into my masters program and then worked on and off while looking for a job, then we moved from Chicago back to my home town to start a family...and I worked for a few years up until I gave birth to our daughter...and haven't worked outside the home since then. So I kind suck :(. Will that totally screw my chances?

One more thing...

And does someone from SS just go over all your medical records and put together all the different diagnosis? Or can a doctor(s) advocate for us regarding my condition and the long struggle trying to get help??

Jordan.
call social security and get your work credits you need your ss# and ask them how many credits you need to qualify for SSD. If you don't have the credits you won't need a lawyer. I spoke to a reputable lawyer and the social security department.

Your diagnosis doesn't matter until you find out if you have enough work credits. It's like car insurance they said, either you have it or you don't. If you are broke you migh qualify for SSI. You can have NO MORE than $2,000 or $3,000 ifvyou're married, including investments, retirement funds etc.

I just did this and it's a flipping night mare. I have to find a family member to support me maybe for life.

Most attorneys won't take s case until you've been.denied at the initial stage because there is nothing for them to do and they receive little to no backpay.

Disability is based on medical and non medical evidence. You will have to prove you can't perform SGA doing jobs in.the national economy. Some of those jobs ate laundry attendent, security monitor, ticket taker, chicken sex checker, etc. The jobs don't have to be in the field you've worked in before or that you're trained and educated in. Often SSA finds that even.though a claimants condition is severe that there are jobs in THE national economy you can do. Your medical records need to state your condition is severe and your ability to function is severe restricted as a direct result of your condition. If you aren't taking strong pain meds the majority of the time, your pain may not be viewed as severe enough. You will have to fill out form telling SSA about your activities of daily.living. If you don't require help and/or someone else to do some things for you, your condition won't be severe enough. You need to follow prescribed treatments.

You must be diagnoised with a Medically Determined Impairment by an MD or psychologist. Drs don't know the SSA disability criteria. Any forms or letters from them must be backed.up by medical and non medical evidence.

I was diagnosed and accepted for disability because of depression, Chronic Pain, and Fibromyalgia. I highly recommend getting a disability lawyer. They will not charge you until you win your case. Hugs

Getting an attorney does not mean you don't have to follow up on things. You need to call and verify SSA received medical records they requested. You will be sent forms to fill out, you need to get copies of your medical records after each visit so you can.read them and be sure there aren't any mistake and that the details of your ability to function are written down. Most attorneys don't even read your medical records until right before the hearing.

I really appreciate everyone's help and advice! Thanks for taking the time to respond!!!