Acquiring SSDI at 38

[Hucast21]

Hi Hadit members!

I have a question for folks who have SSDI: how hard is it to get? I have read information about SSDI stating it is harder to get vs VA disability, especially if the person applying for it is under 40.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

 

 

[pacmanx1]

Unfortunately a lot if not most people have to get an attorney and file/win their claim on appeal.  VA goes by percentages but with SSA it is all or nothing.  You are either disabled or able to work in their eyes. It is very frustrating when you are 100% VA and the Social Security denies your claim even though they know you can't hold down a permanent job. IMHO, I think SSA want to make sure a person will not go back to work so most claims are denied at the first level.  It is better to fight now instead of waiting for your retirement age.

[Buck52]

Keep in mind you will need to have SSA Work credits  I think you will need to pay taxes on the last ten years that you worked.

I got beat out of my SSDI because I din't work the last ten years due to my S.C. Disability,  but it was not service connected back then I spent years in Appeals getting my VA Disability..so when I finally won my 100% for IU the SSA said I didn't meet the criteria for SSDI or have enough work credits.

I might have got an attorney back then but was denied for SSDI back then for this reason.

[pacmanx1]

Buck, SSA is real tricky in a way that SSA goes by your onset date.  The onset date is when the person is claiming she/he became disabled.  Yes, you have to have work credits but as long as you file a claim within your onset window, you can win your claim.  I helped a friend win his 100% TDIU with VA and he took that award letter and got approved for SSA. I think that it was close to if not over ten years. Also SSA will accept (GOOD CAUSE) claims if you file late. If you have some type of mental disorder or the fact that you have been fighting VA would be a good cause. A good SSA attorney could figure this out.

[deedub75]

I just got my denial letter today even though I knew last week my claim had been denied.  I must say that I thought the VA did a poor job with claims but SSA takes the cake.  I am 100% P&T fro the VA and I was working for CBP until I was approved for FERS disability retirement in September 2019.  At CBP, I was working a sedentary desk job dealing with customs bonds and tariffs.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and hypogonadism in 2010 and after some ups and downs in my health, I hit a bad downward trend about 2 years ago.  It got to the point where I was missing a lot of days of work and when I was working I was having difficulty with concentration to the point where CBP retired me.  

After my last day at CBP, I applied for SSD for hypopituitarism, growth hormone deficiency, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, major depressive disorder, hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, intracranial hypertension, headaches and sleep apnea. I'm service connected for hypogonadism, sleep apnea, insomnia disorder.  I didn't think it would be approved but I figured I didn't have anything to lose.  I was only 44 and I didn't want to have 18 years of zero income taken into account when I turned 62 and qualified for social security.  It would have been next to nothing with all those zeroes.  SSA sent me for mental and physical exams as well as x-rays and labs.  I felt like I may actually have a chance of getting approve.  Instead, SSA fixated on records from my ortho where I was planning in the future to have surgery on my ankle for tarsal tunnel syndrome.  I had the surgery on 2/12/20 and a follow up visit on 2/21/20.  My rep at SSA told me that my decision was being held up waiting for the surgery notes from my 2/12/20 surgery.  I thought that was odd because I didn't claim anything regarding foot, ankles or any other joints.  Instead of focusing on the issues that were actually keeping me from working and forced me into a retirement due to disability from CBP,  SSA instead decided that the only thing keeping me from working was my ankle and since it was repaired I would be able to work a light and sedentary job.  How is that possible since I was jut forced to retire from a light and sedentary job???

[Hucast21]

2 minutes ago, deedub75 said:

I just got my denial letter today even though I knew last week my claim had been denied.  I must say that I thought the VA did a poor job with claims but SSA takes the cake.  I am 100% P&T fro the VA and I was working for CBP until I was approved for FERS disability retirement in September 2019.  At CBP, I was working a sedentary desk job dealing with customs bonds and tariffs.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and hypogonadism in 2010 and after some ups and downs in my health, I hit a bad downward trend about 2 years ago.  It got to the point where I was missing a lot of days of work and when I was working I was having difficulty with concentration to the point where CBP retired me.  

After my last day at CBP, I applied for SSD for hypopituitarism, growth hormone deficiency, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, major depressive disorder, hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, intracranial hypertension, headaches and sleep apnea. I'm service connected for hypogonadism, sleep apnea, insomnia disorder.  I didn't think it would be approved but I figured I didn't have anything to lose.  I was only 44 and I didn't want to have 18 years of zero income taken into account when I turned 62 and qualified for social security.  It would have been next to nothing with all those zeroes.  SSA sent me for mental and physical exams as well as x-rays and labs.  I felt like I may actually have a chance of getting approve.  Instead, SSA fixated on records from my ortho where I was planning in the future to have surgery on my ankle for tarsal tunnel syndrome.  I had the surgery on 2/12/20 and a follow up visit on 2/21/20.  My rep at SSA told me that my decision was being held up waiting for the surgery notes from my 2/12/20 surgery.  I thought that was odd because I didn't claim anything regarding foot, ankles or any other joints.  Instead of focusing on the issues that were actually keeping me from working and forced me into a retirement due to disability from CBP,  SSA instead decided that the only thing keeping me from working was my ankle and since it was repaired I would be able to work a light and sedentary job.  How is that possible since I was jut forced to retire from a light and sedentary job???

From what I have read and researched, a vocational rehabilitation assessment from a vocational expert can be the determinant for SSDI.

 

[deedub75]

1 minute ago, Hucast21 said:

From what I have read and researched, a vocational rehabilitation assessment from a vocational expert can be the determinant for SSDI.

 

"We do not have sufficient vocational information to determine whether you will be able to perform any of your past relevant work.  However, based on the evidence in file, we have determined you will be able to adjust to other work."

"However, it will not prevent doing lighter work"

I don't see how, if they even looked at my past relevant work, they can make these statements.  Other than the military and some outside sales jobs I've done  years ago, I've only done sedentary desk jobs.  What work is lighter than sedentary desk work?  I was forced to retire from my last job.  I have letters from my primary care doctor and neurologist that says I can't even perform sedentary desk work.  These letters were provided for my disability retirement from CBP.  SSA didn't even pull any of my work records from my last job.