StreetWalker

40% for lumbar DDD 20% for each leg for radiculopathy 10% GERD 10% tinnitus. While denying my TDIU they also granted me a whopping 10% for depression. Yes it's the first denial. My SSDI claim was approved in less than three weeks using nothing more than my VA medical records.

My claim went from Gathering of Evidence last Friday to Preparation for Notification today. Called my VSO and was told my claim was denied. They gave me 10% additional for depression which doesn't change my rate and seems really low since I'm taking 200 mg of Zoloft per day to combat the depression. Also they granted SMC K. I'll have to wait for the official word to see why I was denied but I've got a feeling it's due to the incomplete and fraudulent C&P exam for my lower back. The doctor did not complete the exam yet she fully filled out the DBQ as if she had.

That appeal notice is standard for ALL claims. It doesn't mean anything. Have you checked your payment status?

Not a chance. Even people rated at 90% have a hard time getting IU.

What reasons are they giving you for denial?

If you live in the Jurisdiction of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals then you're in luck. In a recent decision the court decided that Social Security must give GREAT WEIGHT to VA awards when considering SSDI awards. Most denied SSDI claims are denied based on incomplete or unreadable paperwork or your disability doesn't fit into their guidelines.

On this same path. Worked for USPS for 19 years. In July my back told me it was time to retire. Last day I worked was 7-29-2012 I filed for TDIU (currently rated at 70%, 40-(20+20 bilateral)-10-10, SSDI and OPM disability retirement. SSDI was granted in less than three weeks based solely on my VA medical records and my self report. HRSS just sent my DR package to Eagan to have my pay records added to the packet so it could be sent to OPM. TDIU claim is still in the "Under Review" stage. I have supplied the RO with a copy of my SSDI award letter. Still on the USPS rolls as they haven't fired me yet. Over 550 hours of LWOP so far.

That's the date of the last COLA.

OPM is Office of Personnel Managment. It's the Federal agency that handles things like retirements. The way I got my SSDI back so quick was to apply on-line. When they set the paperwork I got it filled out and back in the mail the next day. The VA sent them my records in less than a week.

Before the Vicodin I was taking Tramadol like candy. It's a good drug. But if it's not helping it's time to move up the ladder. Good advice about filing for depression. You can file a claim for TDIU. However you can't be working when you file. You could also possibly file for SSDI. Like john999 I'm a Postal Worker, just taking LWOP right now. Waiting for them to fire me is what it amounts too. The combo of TDIU, SSDI and OPM disability retirement will give me an take home income double what I was making in the Postal Service. At what point in the process is your claim right now?

I've got a lower back injury and I worked through the pain for many years. I delivered mail on a walking route. Finally this year it got to the point where I was taking 5mg of Vicodin every four hours just to take the edge off. Right now I've been out of work since the end of July. I've been awarded SSDI that will start paying out in January. I've filed for TDIU and OPM Disability Retirement. I'm currently taking 5mg of Oxycodone every 5-6 hours along with 600mg a day of Lyrica. If you're having the level of pain you describe then I'd guess that you're only causing more and more problems by continuing to work.

I'm guessing you were turned down for SSDI? I've applied for a OPM DR, SSDI and TDIU. SSDI was approved in less than two weeks. Still waiting on the other two. My condition, lumbar back, is such that I'm unable to work. I've been on LWOP since the end of July.

sI had called the national call center to check on my claim. They sent an email to the local office and told me I would hear from them in 7-10 days. It took less than an hour to get the call from the local office.

Received a phone call from the local office today. My case worker told me I had been approved. Final notification is being held up by missing paperwork from OWCP. I was actually approved August 10th. I filed on-line the end of July.

Just checked and my AB8 is missing.

Mine was granted on the first round.

If you read the entire article you'll see it's benefits granted at the ALJ level. There's one ALJ in Oklahoma that has a 90% approval rate. The article also stated that the judges were using cut and paste decisions.

I filed for TDIU, SSDI and OPM the end of June. I received a letter this week telling me I meet the medical requirements for SSDI disability. They now need to see if I meed the non-medical requirements and send me a decision. Just had my retirement counseling session over the phone yesterday with OPM and mailed the paperwork out yesterday. TDIU is still gathering dust right now. I also filed for OWCP on the advice of my Union. That paperwork went in a couple of weeks ago. Still waiting on that also.

As soon as I get the letter from SSDI I will head down to my VSO to get it in my file. The ONLY thing SSDI used to determine my case was my VA records for my service connected disabilities

It was in July. I actually only filed for SSDI because you have to when filing for a OPM disability retirement. I filed for SSDI, TDIU and OPM DR the same week. Only one has been decided. Who knows how long it will take the other two. Funny thing is that the same medical evidence was/is used for all three.

Thanks everyone. There won't be cash for a while as my claim was filed the end of July. There's that pesky five month waiting period.

Received a letter from SS yesterday. It states that I meet the medical requirements for disability and gives me a date the disability has been established on. It also states that they have not yet made a decision about whether or not I meet the non-medical requirements. This appears to be good news.

The VA doesn't compensate for chronic pain. Only for the underlying condition that causes the chronic pain.

Sleep apnea can be secondary to chronic pain and depression.

Your chances are the same as anyone else. You don't need a lawyer to file. It's a total waste of money this early in the process.