Recieved Call From Case Worker Today

[ruby]

Recieved a call from the case worker today. He wanted to know if I sent out the paper work they sent to me. I had more than a week ago to London KY.

Then he started asking me question regarding pain and depression, which I answered. I told him that my arthritis is what is crippling. He asked me if I felt I could work if I didn't have the arthritis, I said yes, cause its true. I can work with the asthma and arthritis.

I asked him if he had my computer x ray records that show my arthritis, he said no, I asked him if he wanted me to send him another copy to expedite my case. He said I don't think that will be necessary.

If we need xrays we will send you to get them at our cost. I said I was hoping to save everyone time and money as my x-rays clearly show the severity of my arthritis.

Should they need them I will gladly send them to him directly, again he said I don't believe that will be necessary.

Then at the end he ask me if I would be willing to go a physicial exam if they requested one, of course I said yes. The sooner the better.

I also ask him if he had any idea of when I my claim would be decided, finanically I am having a hard time making ends meet. He said as soon as they get my medical records, which they VA hasn't sent to them.

I ask for a copy of them a month ago and recieved 2 copies, I think I got thiers, so out to the mail they go tomorrow.

Anyway does anyone have any ideas or thoughts regarding his statement, I don't think your x rays will be needed.

[Jim MAC]

Ruby

I will let the experts here answer this. But if it was me I would be sending them copys of whatever they do not have

Jim

[william n]

Ruby, im no expert, but i will share with you that i recently went through something similar. what i did realize is i am powerless over what they decide and cannot influence their decision with any evidence i feel they should have and examine..as we all here know, the SSA operates on their own level, a whole different playing field then the VA. My sincere suggestion, would be to prepare to hire an Attorney. I sincerely hope, you receive it first go through. My take is...if you have no legs, one arm and can be propped up on a stool you can work by collecting tickets at the movie theatre. Thats pretty much the train of thought at the first level....I said well, two can play this...I went to their DR.[physical] and their Psychologist[mental] requested copys be sent to my Service Officer[Power of Attorney] and used them as evidence in my SC Claim..{outside medical opinion,for free}....Please keep in mind that if those medical records from SSA are sent to your VA Facility, you will not personally be able to obtain those records, from the Release Of Info Office, its called Redisclosure[hippa]..have them sent to your Attorney, Service Officer, or non-VA Doctor, then get copies for your personal use if warranted..As Pete said, theres more than one way to skin a cat. Peace, William n

[ruby]

New twist, hope someone has an answer.

Recieved a letter in the mail on Friday saying I have a "mental exam" on March 25. yada yada.

Those of you who have applied did you do the mental exam before the physical exam?

This makes me believe they are denying my physical disability without sending me to a physican or obtaining my x-rays that show my disablity.

In my letters to support my claim, I mentioned I was depressed and so did others, I never made depression an offical disease process that is making me disabled, I don't have any mental notes or exams to support this, other than pain makes you depressed.

If they were going to approve my physical conditions, why would they send me to a psy.

Williamn, thanks for the suggestion I didn't know I couldn't get a personal copy of the SSA physical/mental exam.

I would like to see what they say prior to anyone else. If I send them to my VSO will they use those in my claim if I don't like what it says. I have to think about this, I don't have a private MD, I only use the VA.

I have to mail this form tomorrow, hope someone can help me with this before I mail it.

[Pete53]

When I filed my claim in 1991 I had 2 C&P's on the same day. One was mental and the other physical. The Shrink I saw for the VA was an old has been and his exam was a joke. He did not address any of the issues I had brought up in my claim.

My second C&P was a younger Doctor who was through and professional. He had me carry my x-rays back to him and he told me that he had written a favorable report. Sure enough I was awarded 30% for flat feet.

[vaf]

My husband underwent an SSA mental exam, but his challenge is organic mental syndrome, which is based on a physical cause (a pituitary tumor). The exam was with a psychologist, not a psychiatrist. Despite the OMS, my husband worked for several years, but had to resign due to VA-rated cervical and lumbar spine disorders, the main basis for applying for SSDI. He did not undergo a physical exam for SSA (we sent all his VA records, plus private doctor and chiropractic records). In sending in his VA records, the organic mental syndrome was included. He received approval on the first go around, but we hired Binder and Binder LLC for representation right from the start. They sent his doctors and chiropractors an arthritis impact questionnaire to complete, which the firm then forwarded on to the SSA. I really believe this made the difference between getting the approval right from the beginning vs. being denied and delayed during the appeal process.

The mental exam lasted 30 minutes, and included some really basic questions like what's today's date, who is President, who is Governor, tell me your home address, basic addition and spelling questions, questions he said any fourth grader could answer. We, too, were concerned because he was scheduled for a mental exam but no physical exam, but things turned out just fine. Again, I don't recommend any SSA applicant approach the process without representation, but that's just my opinion.

[ruby]

VAF,

Was your husband approved on the physical part and still sent to a psy.

I don't understand why I am just going to psy first, since its not my disability.

Pete my problem is I am only going for one exam, one I didn't file for, since I have no records to show I have any problems.

I did an arthritis impact form and had my rheum. sign it.

Edited March 10, 2008 by ruby