Need help with my SS hearing (social security, state, bi-polar, separate)
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I have my disability hearing coming up in about a month and a half. I am really confused on the paperwork and really nervous I'm going to go in unprepared. The hearing is to get my benefits back. There is all this talk of statements that need to be filled out and I'm just so confused. I don't know if I should have witnesses there or not. I need help!!
If I told you, you owed me a million dollars you would want me to prove it. Same for SS. You will need documents supporting your earnings and the disability. Never done this but I think it can be hard to do. Get notarized statements from your doctor and copies of your w2 and recent checks if you can as a minimum. Consider hiring a professional to help.
What talk about statements that need to be filled out? Who told you, you would have to fill out statements, and what were they referring to?
It sounds like they cancelled your benefits, so you'd need to prove via written evaluations from medical or psych, that you're disabled, and perhaps provide some supporting documentation, if you have any, like physical therapy billing, or psych therapy billing (med prescripts for Bi-polar, for ex.). SS only recognizes a statement by a psychiatrist, not a psychologist, unless the psychologist has a PhD, I'm pretty sure. It has to be a PhD level specialist, in the case of psych issues. For medical, probably the relevant MD specialist would work.
Have you considered finding a local lawyer? If you can prove SS owes you back pay for previous years, the lawyer will take a percent of the award, but it might be worth it, depending on your case. Be careful not to fall into one of those law practices, that handles dozens, or hundreds, of patients in certain categories (SS, personal injury, whatever). Look for a small local law practice, if you decide to go that route.
I don't know if you're in a major city or not. Sometimes the "hearing" is a televised "meeting" with a SS specialist, not an in-person meeting, depending on your location.
I'm not sure why they'd cancel your benefits, unless they felt that your condition had improved to the point, that you could work. If that's the case, then obviously, you'd need to prove to them that you're still unable to work.
I have my disability hearing coming up in about a month and a half. I am really confused on the paperwork and really nervous I'm going to go in unprepared. The hearing is to get my benefits back. There is all this talk of statements that need to be filled out and I'm just so confused. I don't know if I should have witnesses there or not. I need help!!
Loca32
Just saying....You do realize this is a retirement forum, not a SS disability forum. They are two very different things. Most people here have never been on disability nor have any experience with your situation.
Just saying....You do realize this is a retirement forum, not a SS disability forum. Most people here have never been on disability nor have any experience with your situation.
Good point. Does C-D even have a disability forum? I'm guessing the OP chose "Retirement", because it's SS-related.
Good point. Does C-D even have a disability forum? I'm guessing the OP chose "Retirement", because it's SS-related.
I see a lot of people making that mistake thinking just because one is receiving retirement SS, they must also know about disability social security when in reality they are two very different animals.
I see a lot of people making that mistake thinking just because one is receiving retirement SS, they must also know about disability social security when in reality they are two very different animals.
Yes, they're completely different, and unrelated. Completely separate branches of the bureaucracy.
OP, you can call local law offices that advertise that they handle SS disability cases, and ask them questions, as a way of vetting them, to decide who you want to go with. They won't necessarily require payment in advance. They'll take a percentage of your award. You can ask about the details of that. You can tell them it's to get benefits reinstated, and have some discussion with them about that.
SSDI is a highly abused program. The SS department is cracking down on people who really are able to work, but are working the system. All you need to do is provide documentation that you are not able to work due to mental or physical reasons. Witness testimony means nothing. “Hey my buddie Jack says I can’t work” means nothing in a hearing.
If your claim is legitimate I wish you the best.
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