Finally Got Social Security

[free_spirit_etc]

Free,

This 100% happened because you took the wheel and guided me alone.

So many hours you put into my claim through your research.

As you said, " I was an old 78 records that wouldn't shut up".

I thank you so much for your many hours of posting this regulation for me and that one.

Friends like you don't happen very often. I also have the complete Hadit Team for this win.

Everyone have a Merry Christmas and the Best Ever New Year.

Always,

Betty

I am so glad I could help. And wish I could have been more help…or more consistent help. I do my disappearing acts from Hadit from time to time. (I am sure you have noticed. ;) ) But the real credit goes to YOU.

And yes – lol – you would NOT shut up. Every time I logged in – there you were – talking about your case until you MADE us listen. And you got us on board, one by one, figuring out ways to help you with your claim. I am still in awe of the diligence you showed when 99.99% of people would have given up. You inspired me!

And yes, I wanted to give up many times on my Social Security claim. I remember when I took our Hearing Requests to another office. I did that in hopes that they would get filed – and to get date stamped copies in case they disappeared. But I had to BEG them to accept the appeals. The guy was REFUSING to accept them!

It was SO crazy! I tried to appeal. My local office wouldn’t file my appeal. But then the reconsideration dismissed my appeal (saying I didn’t file the appeal the local office wouldn’t file). So when I tried to appeal THAT – here was one more person telling me I could NOT appeal. Talk about a Catch-22.

The guy was snarling and kept telling me that it was MY fault my claim was messed up. (I later found out they had “tagged” my record indicating that I complained about everything and tried to play the offices against each other – which somewhat explained his behavior – but was also odd because this was the only time I went to a different office.) But it is so good that I did go to the other office, because if I had not pushed to get those date stamped copies, I wouldn’t have had any proof that we had appealed when they, once again, said we didn’t.

But I left the SSA office that day sobbing so hard I couldn’t even drive. I just sat in my car and sobbed and sobbed. Right then, I wanted to just give up. But I could hear my husband say “NO! Don’t you back down!” (He never did like it when I backed down in an argument if I thought I was right.) So I hung in there somehow. And I know I borrowed strength from you.

This Christmas is harder on me than I expected it to be. But then, again, it is only my second Christmas since my husband died. I have so many happy memories. The big ones - like our Christmas trips. And the little ones - like how he always hand drew little hearts on the gift tags on all my presents. I find myself crying at odd times. But then again, the tears don’t last long and I find myself smiling at odd times too. :) I feel blessed that the “bitter-sweet” is much sweeter than it is bitter.

I am wishing a wonderful Christmas to you and your husband – and feel blessed by your support and your friendship.

Free

[Pete53]

Free:

Thanks for reminding us how crazy waiting for action on our claim can make us. I try to remember it when someone acts up on Hadit. When Ross Perot was running for President I wrote the VARO and told them I hoped that Ross Perot would win and fire all of them.It was in my file when I got my records. I doubt that it helped my claim either.

Over the years I have seen Members who have stuck to their guns win. I think that those who have won and post on Hadit offer hope to those who wait.

Pete

[Josephine]

Pete,

You are so right, " Stick to your guns" and " Never give up".

Thanks to all of the Hadit Members.

We did it for me and I will be forever grateful.

40 Years after discharge, " Who would have thought this could have been done."

When I look at my 100%, I know we did it!!

Everyone out there let me be an example to you,

"You can do it".

Josephine aka Betty

Edited December 19, 2009 by Josephine

[halos2]

To find the genuine outpouring of CARING not only at the holiday season and Christmas (the birth of the savior as many believe) but on each day of our lives shown here at HADIT, signifys there are GOOD people still on earth!

People who bend backwards and jump through hoops to help our fellow "friends." The color, race, creed, religion, nothing is as important as wishing and offering hope and help with our fellow brother/sister, and their family member who pursues the claim.

This shows trifold it is not what you can do for yourself, but what you can do for all people. When one wins their claim with the assistance provided here we all do rejoyce in the win. May this continue to not only offer hope for those still fighting, but may they find the strength to continue as shown in many posts it can be done!

The finish line is closer than you think...reach out and touch it...we are closer to the win.

May all find peace, strength, love, warmth, food, and happiness in the new year, and free we are glad for you and your family, keep running on the path.

Best wishes. :)

Edited December 20, 2009 by halos2

[Wings]

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Free Spirit, You have been there for everybody and I have watched you research: dig and dig, and dig in deep and fight from your position (and truth) like a true warrior!! I am so happy for your win. Many Holiday Blessings. HUGS!! ~Wings

[free_spirit_etc]

Free:

Thanks for reminding us how crazy waiting for action on our claim can make us. I try to remember it when someone acts up on Hadit. When Ross Perot was running for President I wrote the VARO and told them I hoped that Ross Perot would win and fire all of them.It was in my file when I got my records. I doubt that it helped my claim either.

Over the years I have seen Members who have stuck to their guns win. I think that those who have won and post on Hadit offer hope to those who wait.

Pete

Pete,

So I get to be Hadit's Poster Child of crazy waiting? LOL

Congratulations on sending something to the VA that actually stayed in your file! But yes, a word to the wise (and those of us who need to be wiser) - be careful reacting on impulse - it may come back to bite you.

Personally, I do NOT believe that Social Security plays near as many games as the VA as a GENERAL rule. Through the years I have found them to be a pretty nice agency to deal with. The games they played with our survivor claims really threw me for a loop. I do not believe that is the general way they do business. But they do seem to be able to get “down and dirty” when they chose to.

We never had to fight for disability. Years ago, when I applied for my son, I only applied because he was hospitalized for so long – and they were recommending residential placement – and so the state required us to apply for SSI. But he was approved at the initial level.

My husband was also approved in just a few weeks after applying. So I have never experienced the “battle for disability” with SSA.

But as everyone at Hadit is aware, having a working knowledge of the agency and regulations can also often be a key to winning a claim. Yes. I have heard all the rumors – Social Security says if you can lift a pencil, you can work. But I don’t believe the rumors are true. I do believe that Social Security has some very definite parameters that you have to fit into to be approved at the initial levels. If you do not fit clearly into those parameters, it doesn’t mean you won’t be approved, but it does mean that the process will take awhile.

One thing I did find very lacking was support networks, such as Hadit, for those applying for Social Security who either could not find a lawyer, or chose not to get one. That is most likely because lawyers have been allowed to be involved in Social Security claims when they were not allowed in VA claims. But it does make it VERY difficult to navigate the system for those who are pursuing a claim without an attorney. And it is even more difficult for those pursuing survivor claims. But then, again, I do not think there are really that many people actually “fighting” for survivor benefits compared to those fighting for disability.

I would hate to even guess how many hours I spent reading Social Security laws, regulations, policies, cases, etc. just trying to hang in there – and I still didn’t know if I was doing things half right.

I am glad I hung in there and I am glad I finally got to have a hearing. I was worried for awhile because I was not sure:

1. If we would ever get to have a hearing.

2. How high up the games would go (especially since the crazy decisions we were getting were signed in ink - supposedly by someone pretty high up in the agency – leading me to believe the games might be coming from pretty high up.)

It is kind of scary when it seems like they are out to get you and you are not sure if there is anyone in the system you will be able to trust. I even filed a discrimination complaint, but I did not receive a response to it, and no one from that agency returned the phone messages I left. So I really started to wonder if we would be “sacrificed” so to speak. So I started laying kind of low on that aspect – because I didn’t want to be sacrificed if the system decided to protect itself, rather than address the issues.

We were very fortunate to get a Judge who didn’t play into the games. I feel very blessed in that. And we also eventually did hear from the OIG on our discrimination complaint. However, they did not find any discrimination occurred. They did find multiple “processing errors.”

As I really have no intent to sue – it might not matter if they choose to call what occurred discrimination or processing errors – as long as they address the issues. But the problem I had with the letter was that in explaining why they found no discrimination, they gave a whole lot of bogus reasons. Instead of addressing the issues, they explained away the whole thing. They basically said all the things I said occurred didn’t occur. I appealed that decision – mostly because I am not convinced they ever really addressed the issues as long as they are explaining the whole thing away.