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36 Years To Go From 10% In 1977 To 100% Iu P&t In 2013

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GEEBEE711

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It took me thirty years to go from 10% to 70% TDIU. I went from 10% to 30% and then 70% and then an appeal for TDIU. I had to claim P&T via another appeal. Since then I have had six more claims approved for AO conditions. Now I really don't want to go back to the VA for medical care, but I get my ticket punched half a dozen times a year for various conditions. I have about had it with their rules and regulations.

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Geebee,

Thanks again for your kind words. What makes me so mad is that I hired a Lawyer in Sep 13, and the did not even submit my claim. So, finally on Nov 13, I submitted my claim on line. I called the Lawyer, and their secretary, who just retired from SSA after 37 years told me point blank "Sir the Lawyers don't care about your claim at this time, because it is early in stage and the Lawyers would only make $250 if you were to get approved for SSDI at this time". My twin brother is a Civilian, never military, and he acquired this lawyer after he was denied 8 times in 5 months, and he had his hearing in December and he has still not heard from the SSA. I just don't know what to think these days, so much of our lives is in the hands of people that either don't care, or do care but they are spread so thin that they cant help even if they want to. Thanks again to all. Man if it weren't for you guys, I don't know if I would make it thru the day. No one understands us better than us.

100% PTSD

100% Back

60% Bladder Issues

50% Migraines 
30% Crohn's Disease

30% R Shoulder

20% Radiculopathy, Left lower    10% Radiculopathy, Right lower 
10% L Knee  10% R Knee Surgery 2005&2007
10% Asthma
10% Tinnitus
10% Damage of Cranial Nerve II

10% Scars

SMC S

SMC K

OEF/OIF VET     100% VA P&T, Post 911 Caregiver, SSDI

 

 

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Geebee,

Thanks again for your kind words. What makes me so mad is that I hired a Lawyer in Sep 13, and the did not even submit my claim. So, finally on Nov 13, I submitted my claim on line. I called the Lawyer, and their secretary, who just retired from SSA after 37 years told me point blank "Sir the Lawyers don't care about your claim at this time, because it is early in stage and the Lawyers would only make $250 if you were to get approved for SSDI at this time". My twin brother is a Civilian, never military, and he acquired this lawyer after he was denied 8 times in 5 months, and he had his hearing in December and he has still not heard from the SSA. I just don't know what to think these days, so much of our lives is in the hands of people that either don't care, or do care but they are spread so thin that they cant help even if they want to. Thanks again to all. Man if it weren't for you guys, I don't know if I would make it thru the day. No one understands us better than us.

I have heard so many people advise those who initially file an SSDI claim for the first time to get lawyer. Why? A lawyer is NOT need at that stage of a claim. A lawyer can NOT do anything more than you can do by yourself! Even if the claim is denied the first time, they are NOT needed at this stage either. The first appeal that you will do yourself is nothing more than having your claim "Looked" at by another Social Security "Rater". If the claim is denied at this stage, then it time to "Lawyer Up".

Remember, the lawyer will ONLY get paid if you get paid. Their pay gets taken out of your BACK PAY, usually at a rate of 30%.. No back pay, no pay for the lawyer! This is why lawyers do NOT want, or have any interest in an early claim. The longer the claim is in appeal, the larger amount of the back pay will be. Thus, the larger amount of money the lawyer will make.

In my case, if I had retained a lawyer (if one would even take it) for my initial SSDI claim, the layer would have made nothing! Why? Because my SSDI was awarded from filing date to it completion in only 5 months and 10 days. The first 5 months of the onset of the disability(s), in this case, the filing date, does NOT count towards ones back pay. If my claim had taken one month longer, my lawyer would have only made $486 based on 30% of my one month back pay that would have been owed to me!

Again Navy04, the best of luck to you!

Edited by GEEBEE711
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Thanks,

I have done all the work on my case and at times more educated than my lawyer. I should have just filed on own, as you said, yet I was so overwhelmed when I first filed the claim, and I had hoped the lawyer would ease the pain.

100% PTSD

100% Back

60% Bladder Issues

50% Migraines 
30% Crohn's Disease

30% R Shoulder

20% Radiculopathy, Left lower    10% Radiculopathy, Right lower 
10% L Knee  10% R Knee Surgery 2005&2007
10% Asthma
10% Tinnitus
10% Damage of Cranial Nerve II

10% Scars

SMC S

SMC K

OEF/OIF VET     100% VA P&T, Post 911 Caregiver, SSDI

 

 

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