Would Calling About Ssdi Progress Be Ok?

[cowgirl]

After dealing with the va for several years, I am on guard

Is it okay to call and ask the status of my ssdi claim? Its been a few weeks. I have not heard from ssa, all medical records and functional adult reports, hubby'n'mine are in.

Thanks a bunch,

cg

Edited July 7, 2008 by cowgirl (see edit history)

[Josephine]

CG,

I am sure it would be just fine. I find SS to be much nicer

than the VA.

The Best to You!

Betty

[Pete53]

Yes by all means call them and ask if they have everything they need and how long. They are very nice and actually will answer your questions

You probably should call the person who works for the State that is handling your claim

[ruby]

After dealing with the va for several years, I am on guard

Is it okay to call and ask the status of my ssdi claim? Its been a few weeks. I have not heard from ssa, all medical records and functional adult reports, hubby'n'mine are in.

Thanks a bunch,

cg

After you submit your claim, the SS office will gather any medical info you didn't give them. They try 2x and wait a month between times. Once they have everything they send that info to the Disablity Determination Service--Your case worker will send you something that they have recieved you app that will also include his number. After he reviews it he will ask for a exam.

I tried not to call him as they are busy and I didn't want to piss him off. I called 2 times once after the exams and then once after I knew a decision was made but I hadn't heard from him. He told me it went to QA and to go to my local office and ask for an unoffical results. I did and they told me it was approved.

I got the following from an attorney here is what he said. I gave them everything upfront so they didn't have to wait for anything from anyone. They didn't have to send me the RFC, I did it with my app.

Believe it or not on average, from start to finish, the typical Social Security Disability case can take as long as 18 months to 2 years. I recently read a report from the federal government General Accounting Office which reports that an average case from start to final appeal can last over three years - and during those three years, Social Security employees actually work on the file a grand total of 7 days.

7 days in three years - can you believe it?

Here is a sample time frame taken from a case I tried a few years ago:

January 1, 2000 - Claimant files application by calling or writing

January 10, 2000 - Social Security acknowledges receipt of

application and schedules a phone or office interview.

January 25, 2000 - Social Security intake clerk takes down

information contained in formal Application for Benefits

Form SSA-16-F6).

February 1 - March 30, 2000 - DAS claims processor sends form

requests for medical records to all doctors and hospitals listed

on Form SSA-16-F6. The claims processor may also send you a

Disability Report (Form SSA-3368-BK) and a Work History Report

(Form SSA-3369-BK).

April 1 - 15, 2000 - DAS claims processor collects, organizes and

reviews medical records, Disability Report and Work History Report.

Adjudicator will also send your file to staff physician and/or

staff psychologist for review.

[if evidence supports a favorable decision, claimant is notified

and claim is sent for payment processing.]

April 25, 2000 - Claims processor issues a form based denial notice.

You have 60 days to appeal.

June 1, 2000 - you file your appeal (Request for Reconsideration

form SSA-561-U2 and Reconsideration Disability Report form

SSA-3441-F6).

June 10, 2000 - DAS acknowledges claim

June 15, 2000 - DAS claims processor reviews Reconsideration

Disability Report and sends out form requests for updated medical

information and records from any new physicians. If mental health

or physical consultative exams are called for, the claims processor

will schedule appointment and send you an appointment notice

letter.

June 20, 2000 - DAS claims processor sends you Daily Living

Questionnaire and will request statement from a person who

knows you.

August 1, 2000 - Claims processor organizes file, reviews it and takes

it to an in-house physician/psychologist for review.

[if evidence supports a favorable decision, claimant is notified

and claim is sent for payment processing.]

August 15, 2000 - Claims processor issues a form based reconsideration

denial notice. You have 60 days to appeal.

September 15, 2000 - you file Request for Hearing (form HA-501-U5)

and Claimant's Statement when Request for Hearing is Filed and

the Issue is Disability (form HA-4486).

September 30, 2000 - Social Security office issues confirmation of

receipt of hearing request.

November 1, 2000 - your claims file is physically moved from the

DAS to the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA).

June 15, 2000 - OHA personnel unpack file and begin to organize it.

August 1, 2001 - OHA finishes working up file and sends notice

to you (and your attorney) that file is ready to be reviewed.

September 1, 2001 - Case is assigned to a Judge and a hearing notice

is issued for hearing on October 15, 2002.

October 15, 2002 - case is called by Administrative Law Judge

March 1, 2002 - Judge issues decision.

That's over two years, if you were counting. And, unfortunately, this type of delay is more and more common.

What can you do about it? As a start, you need to do everything in your power to make sure that your file is kept up to date. That means you need to keep a current list of all of your doctors - with contact information and a current list of your medications.

The information offered in my Disability Answer Guide has helped a number of people win an early decision because I firmly believe that if you make it easy for the Social Security employee, your chances improve.

Remember, Social Security speaks its own language. So, whether or not you order my book, remember to focus on the vocational (work) limitations that arise from your medical condition. Also remember to be very specific - a statement that I can't walk very far and my legs hurt a lot - means nothing. A statement where you report that 'I can walk no more than 30 yards before I have to sit down and my leg pain is a sharp shooting pain from my hip to my feet that feels like an 8 on a 10 point scale' does mean something to Social Security.

And finally, as a last resort, if you desperately need to have your case decided, call your Senator's office. Every U.S. Senator has an employee who spends most of her time helping constituents deal with the Social Security Administration. Many of the cases deal with retirement or missing check issues, but these Senate staffers can sometimes cut through the red tape to get you a quick hearing.

That's it for today - tomorrow, I'll explain what Social Security lawyers do and how you can decide whether it is necessary to retain counsel in your case.

Regards,

Jonathan

Jonathan Ginsberg

Social Security Attorney

Ginsberg Law Offices, P.C.

1854 Independence Square

Atlanta, GA 30338

Phone: 770-393-4985

Email form: http://tinyurl.com/bkubc

I hope this helps you.

Ruby