SSDI & 100% Schedular

[SCE Eagle1]

I am so lost and confused in this whole ssdi and va. My DAV rep tries to talk me out of applying for an increase but I told him to anyway and went from 30% for anxiety to 70% PTSD with anxiety.

now at 100% schedular. My question is can and/or should I apply for SSDI and what are my chances based on what I have stated already. I have 11 different disabilities due to injuries and surgeries from military service.

I continue trying to work but have had to quit 3 jobs due to the stress and disabilities :( I love working but struggle to keep working without causing more pain and hurt on myself.

any ideas?

[pwrslm]

the biggest mistake is not to try if you need to

W/100% schedular, you can work all the hours and make as much as you want. If you can.  If you can not work, then apply for SSDI, but w/SSDI, you can not work. The whole thing is up to you at this point.  

[dolfanbls]

I agree with pwrslm. I am in the opposite boat, I am already receiving SSDI (which I got on my first try) but trying to get TDIU from the VA has been a struggle.

[Tbird]

If you can't work apply for SSDI. Don't wait - just file and go from there. 

[Carl the Engineer]

This is what I know about SSDI with my wife,

-Do not let 5 years pass without working before applying for SSDI or you will not get it.

-You will get denied the first time if your ailment is not on their slam dunk list.  And maybe the second time.  The third time, the appeal, is the first time a real doctor looks at your claim.  My wife has Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, and that is not on their slam dunk list, however with a fight she got her SSDI.

-There are three age groups with SSDI. Age 49 and younger, if you can be trained in any field, denied.  Age 50-59, if you can be retrained in your current or past job field, denied.  Age 60 and above, no training or retraining for a different or same field required, approved.  Basically, if you are under 50 and you can answer a phone, you will get denied.  My wife applied when she was 49 and was denied twice and approved after she turned 50, in fact, the next month.  This is what I learned from from my wifes SSDI legal helper.  Not a lawyer, so not sure what to call her.

If it were me, I would submit the claim for SSDI myself.  Fill out the forms on the SSDI site and send in all your appropriate medical evidence.  As I said above, if your ailment is on the slam dunk list and you have evidence supporting it, you should get approved.  I believe if you frog around on Google long enough, you should be able to find the list that SSDI uses.  If not on the list, it will get denied the first time anyway as it is just a clerk that looks at the first go around.

Then, on your second attempt, you could consider getting help.  Not sure if you can get help the first time as they (legal help) work off of your back winnings and you would not have any yet.

And just so you know, when and if you get to the appeals (Judge) part, they, Social Security, make deals.  Our hearing date was 18 months out (going rate for Wisconsin), but we settled after only 3 months, however, gave up Medicare for two years from the settlement date, plus the six months.  I have/had insurance through my job, so that was not a big thing.

Don't forget the six month rule?  Your get jack for your first six months after you win your SSDI.

My experience,

Hamslice

Edited May 8, 2017 by Hamslice
damn spelling

[Buck52]

Yeas I agree with ham, I could not work because of my disability before I got service connected.

 I had to stop working in 1992  and was sevice connected w/0% in 1999....won my complete case with the VA IN 2002  90%combined rating and TDIU P&T...Filed for SSDI..ok was denied for that  refiled with SSDI  And was denied because of my work record  I had not worked 8 years prior to filing for SSDI & That was the reason for the denials ( not enough work record) that means I didn't have enough credits or paid into the system to qualify for SSDI.   Which really sucked at that time.

I mowed yards and clean peoples yards to make ends meet before I won my VA.

[Buck52]

To the original poster

File for SSDI you have a good chance getting it approved   with a 100% PTSD VA Rating.

like Ms Tbird said file and go from there!