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Does anyone have any statistics on the percentage of people on disability due to lifestyle choices? I couldn't find anything. And given the recent rampant surge of obesity and the fact it is now considered a "disease" I suspect the number of people getting federal assistance for disability will explode in the next decade or so.
I got to thinking today about the people I know for whom disability checks is their only income. Almost all had horrible lifestyles and are not that old.
Couple A: She has been obese her entire life. Poor diet, zero exercise. Late 50s, now 100% disabled because of serious complications from diabetes. Her husband is in his early 50s, also obese, and a smoker, has bad heart/pacemaker and is on 100% disability.
Couple B: She has been obese most of her life. Poor diet, zero exercise...is on 100% disability for bad heart, diabetes, two knee replacements. She is 58. Her husband is 61 and also is considered 100% disabled because he has severe COPD. Fat and a long-time smoker (to his credit he quit about 10 years ago.)
Person A: Obese, smoker, alcoholic, 62 years old. On disability for substance addiction and spinal stenosis.
Person B: Smoker, alcoholic, 55 yo on disability for multiple strokes and now partially blind.
Person C: Late 50s, not obese but smoker, on 100% disability for congestive heart failure and has a pacemaker.
Actually the only other person I know of personally who is on disability is on it because of some horrid genetic snafu for early arthritis...she is 55 and was at one point a competitive body builder and does not smoke or drink but has had several joint replacements and is facing more at 54 years old...I think her case is righteous.
I know quite a few people on full disability. 99% of them are merely fat and lazy. If they would stop being so damned lazy, their fat would disappear. Problem solved.
I know quite a few people on full disability. 99% of them are merely fat and lazy. If they would stop being so damned lazy, their fat would disappear. Problem solved.
I hate it. I despise it!
Well I have to say since the examples I gave are all people I know personally - none are what I would classify as lazy. In fact, all except "Person A" worked hard and paid taxes up until they were unable to work because of illness. They were obese, plus they worked, and worked hard and paid taxes. In fact wife in Couple A is a close friend and was so determined to avoid getting assistance that at one point a few years ago she was gravely ill but still working three jobs until her doctor threatened her with dialysis and a death sentence if she did not quit work.
I'm not looking to demonize fat people or smokers or people on disability.
I'm just looking to figure out what % of people on disability are there because they made crappy lifestyle choices. Because that knowledge is the only thing that can spark change.
I know quite a few people on full disability. 99% of them are merely fat and lazy. If they would stop being so damned lazy, their fat would disappear. Problem solved.
I hate it. I despise it!
Indeed! Drug overdose complications, obesity, alcoholism, all qualifying factors. I'm stumping around on half a leg on one side, 30 years been playing that game, now, it's breaking open, ulcerating, degenerative BD bas set in, and I couldn't qualify for SSDI. I wasn't out begging for that car to hit me, so the driver could say, "so sorry, I just didn't see you', in broken English, and not be insured. Took me two years before I could walk without aid. A year of wearing a brace, and I manaved to work while in that state. I was a LOT younger tben though.
But, some clown who fried his brain with Meth, can draw disability. Now that this injury has caught up with me, and Father Time has worked me over, I can't. Worked my whole life, paid into the system and then some, wow. Our good ol' nanny state.....
It's like one doctor was telling us -- he told one of his patients to stop drinking, smoking, and lose weight and the patient told him "well doc, if I could do all that, I wouldn't need you".
A few people become very ill even though they never used drugs, never drank in excess, didn't overeat, and lived a good lifestyle but that's the minority of them.
Indeed! Drug overdose complications, obesity, alcoholism, all qualifying factors. I'm stumping around on half a leg on one side, 30 years been playing that game, now, it's breaking open, ulcerating, degenerative BD bas set in, and I couldn't qualify for SSDI. I wasn't out begging for that car to hit me, so the driver could say, "so sorry, I just didn't see you', in broken English, and not be insured. Took me two years before I could walk without aid. A year of wearing a brace, and I manaved to work while in that state. I was a LOT younger tben though.
But, some clown who fried his brain with Meth, can draw disability. Now that this injury has caught up with me, and Father Time has worked me over, I can't. Worked my whole life, paid into the system and then some, wow. Our good ol' nanny state.....
I'm sorry to hear that. Did you appeal? My understanding, from several chronically ill people I know, is that most people have to appeal. Hell, I know a woman who had to get an attorney to appeal, even though she had advanced MS.
None of these people are lazy, most have, like you, worked for years and paid into the system. You can't get SSDI if you haven't worked. And you cannot get it for simply being obese. legalsea has explained this recently.
Indeed! Drug overdose complications, obesity, alcoholism, all qualifying factors. I'm stumping around on half a leg on one side, 30 years been playing that game, now, it's breaking open, ulcerating, degenerative BD bas set in, and I couldn't qualify for SSDI. I wasn't out begging for that car to hit me, so the driver could say, "so sorry, I just didn't see you', in broken English, and not be insured. Took me two years before I could walk without aid. A year of wearing a brace, and I manaved to work while in that state. I was a LOT younger tben though.
But, some clown who fried his brain with Meth, can draw disability. Now that this injury has caught up with me, and Father Time has worked me over, I can't. Worked my whole life, paid into the system and then some, wow. Our good ol' nanny state.....
Ouch! Can you afford an attorney? It is people like you who SHOULD get help, and deserve it.
I know quite a few people on full disability. 99% of them are merely fat and lazy. If they would stop being so damned lazy, their fat would disappear. Problem solved.
I hate it. I despise it!
My brother in law messed his back up at work and have to have surgery. The guy can barely walk with a cane now and it took him almost four years to get his disability finally approved. Took 9 appeals and cost him 11K to his lawyer. I've never seen anybody get so mad when he see's these folks who are depressed or porkers and the like get disability. At least he finally got it but it's ridiculous all the red tape there is when it's your money they are keeping from you.
My brother in law messed his back up at work and have to have surgery. The guy can barely walk with a cane now and it took him almost four years to get his disability finally approved. Took 9 appeals and cost him 11K to his lawyer. I've never seen anybody get so mad when he see's these folks who are depressed or porkers and the like get disability. At least he finally got it but it's ridiculous all the red tape there is when it's your money they are keeping from you.
Unless this happened years ago, by law set by the government a SSDI lawyer can only take 25 percent of the first check not to exceed $6000.00. And there are no 9 appeals. In some states there are 4 stages and some states there are 5 stages. But yes I know of some people that got approved quickly that had less severe condtions then those that took a couple of years. A lot depends on physician reports and representation. If one uses an attorney the approval rate is about 97 percent if they go through all stages.
If he was hurt at work perhaps the legal fees were fighting for workman's compensation and not SSDI?
Whatever happened to idea of people buying long term disability insurance?
Does everything have to be provided by the government now?
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