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Fox0r
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Default Feb 21, 2015 at 11:27 PM
  #1
Hi all,

I was hospitalized involuntarily for 5 days in a psych hospital after having a psychotic break. I've lost my last two jobs due to mania and was recently admitted into emergency triage and placed on suicide watch for 5 days. I have medical paperwork for all of it. Do you think I'd qualify for SSI/SSDI? I have worked since I was 15. I am 29 now. I was diagnosed as Bipolar I NOS with Psychotic Features.
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Default Feb 21, 2015 at 11:57 PM
  #2
You wont know until you apply, Seems like you have enough work credits to be granted SSDI if its approved. Does your Doctors feel that you need disability? If they don't agree its very unlikely you will win, "most " people get denied first go around, you have to appeal.

The initial paperwork is annoying and alot to fill out, Loads of questions about your daily life .. How your Mental illness/ physical illness effects your daily life and your ability to work and support yourself, etc

Take your time filling this paper work out and be honest. They will also send you to have an exam by there own Doctors.

It can be a long process. I know some people get approved first try , I know some people that have to take it all the way to a court hearing. some people it has taken 2-3 years to get a court hearing , just depends on the back log of cases in your state.

You can apply online or you can go to your local Social Security office and ask for paperwork and information.

Good luck

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Default Feb 22, 2015 at 12:33 AM
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Originally Posted by ~Christina View Post
You wont know until you apply, Seems like you have enough work credits to be granted SSDI if its approved. Does your Doctors feel that you need disability? If they don't agree its very unlikely you will win, "most " people get denied first go around, you have to appeal.

The initial paperwork is annoying and alot to fill out, Loads of questions about your daily life .. How your Mental illness/ physical illness effects your daily life and your ability to work and support yourself, etc

Take your time filling this paper work out and be honest. They will also send you to have an exam by there own Doctors.

It can be a long process. I know some people get approved first try , I know some people that have to take it all the way to a court hearing. some people it has taken 2-3 years to get a court hearing , just depends on the back log of cases in your state.

You can apply online or you can go to your local Social Security office and ask for paperwork and information.

Good luck
My counselors have told me they support me getting SSI. I don't have a regular psychiatrist I see, because I'm on state insurance, but I do have proof of illness.
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Default Feb 25, 2015 at 12:15 AM
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You're much more likely to be approved if you get a lawyer, and I'd try to find one that will take your case on a contingency basis. I applied and was denied twice over a two year period before I got a lawyer and he got me approved with no trouble at all.

He advised me I should have contacted him before I filed the first time because any information you provide remains a part of your file, and a lawyer can help you with what you need to put forward.

Also, I'd get all the documentation about your case possible. I asked my doctor if he would write out something that described my condition and how it effected my ability to carry out daily activities and it was one of the main things they looked at.

If you have a hearing and have to speak before the judge be sure to emphasize how it effects you in all aspects of life, from dealing with people, to how you deal with everyday life situations, and not just how it effects your ability to hold down a job. It's the big picture you want to present as your overall case of being disabled.
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Default Feb 25, 2015 at 12:12 PM
  #5
I think you have to have a longer history and a regular psychiatrist/therapist working with you to show you are disabled and not just hitting a bad patch in your illness. Disabled means chances of getting better anytime soon, no matter what you do (take meds, see doctor regularly over time, etc.) are not likely. I'd talk to a disability lawyer and get a regular psychiatrist and work on your health, show you have been doing your best but it isn't going to cut it.
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Default Feb 25, 2015 at 12:42 PM
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Yes, I agree with others. I did receive my SSDI the first time around for 4 different conditions but had been seeing a Pdoc for 2-3 years before applying. You may get it the first time, or you may have to fight for it. I would build a good relationship with a doctor so you can have some great care as well....
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Default Feb 25, 2015 at 11:19 PM
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Something that has not been mentioned, for getting disability for mental conditions...they do acknowledge decomposition or rather periods of it...basically if the stress of working causes you to break down and become suicidal/dysfunctional even more so than you are in your default state that can also help. That was part of how I got approved, because under low stress I do seem a bit more functional can sort of take on more...but increase in stress and I am a wreck. So for me I essentially with a lawyer had to prove though on initial apperance I could 'work' I would not be able to continue functioning in order to maintain that.

But yeah its easier with physical disabilities since like you can just say something specific prevents you from something specific...with mental stuff it can be more like 'well this makes this harder, but under stress it makes it impossible while other times I can function ok for a couple of days...so just ends up more difficult to prove why it prevents you working.

If you have medical records that date back a while, and your therapist or any mental health professionals you're seeing support the idea of getting SSI that should help your chances....you still could get denied initially, but you can appeal.

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Default Feb 27, 2015 at 03:39 AM
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You would need a doctor's diagnosis and support saying you cannot work. If you apply with no doctor/psychiatrist/psychologist paperwork backing you up, they will deny you. The more drs you see that support you, the better. Gather as many records as you can. Keep in mind a lot of people working for the SSA have been laid off so it will take time. Hope you get it
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Default Feb 28, 2015 at 11:03 AM
  #9
Get a lawyer. A lawyer helping you get SSDI/SSI will always be working on a contingency basis. It's illegal for them to do otherwise.

If you have a hard time getting a lawyer to take your case, then you don't have much of a chance.

If you have a history of working successfully, that will weaken your case. Being young weakens your case. You might have to rack up more job failures to be seen as really having lost your capacity to work.
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Default Mar 02, 2015 at 09:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Rose76 View Post
Get a lawyer. A lawyer helping you get SSDI/SSI will always be working on a contingency basis. It's illegal for them to do otherwise.

If you have a hard time getting a lawyer to take your case, then you don't have much of a chance.

If you have a history of working successfully, that will weaken your case. Being young weakens your case. You might have to rack up more job failures to be seen as really having lost your capacity to work.
Does not sound like they have a history of working 'successfully' per say if they got fired from their past two jobs due to the mental health issues and stress...but yes that sort of thing would decrease chances...though with SSDI its more for people who have held jobs and have 'become' disabled to the point of not being able to continue working, but that would likely be easier for someone who's older to get.

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Default Mar 02, 2015 at 11:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Fox0r View Post
My counselors have told me they support me getting SSI. I don't have a regular psychiatrist I see, because I'm on state insurance, but I do have proof of illness.
The counselors being supportive can be a big help. They should be willing to write letters on your behalf stating that they believe you are unable to work. If at all possible, see a psychiatrist whenever you can. That would help even more. Are you on any medication? Being on meds also helps your chances of being approved. Be sure to be compliant with taking any meds ordered and showing up for all appointments.

Proof of illness is not the real test of eligibility. This is the thing that people have the hardest time understanding. The SSA does not care how serious your illness is (unless you have Lou Gehrig's Disease, are on Dialysis, or are blind, and a few other things.) Lots of people with very serious physical and mental disabilities manage to succeed in the work force. SSA wants to know very specifically why your illness interferes with you working to the point that you are unemployable. This is why having a lawyer is so important. Without one, you are very likely to innocently answer some questions in a way that makes it sound like you could possibly do something to earn a living.

You will be given paperwork to fill out asking you how you spend a typical day. If you say: "Oh, I tidy up the house and do the laundry and then walk the dog." they will figure you could get a job as a home attendant for some elderly person who needs help with those things. You don't want to submit one single piece of paperwork without having it checked by an attorney, or someone on the attorney's staff.

Go to YouTube and watch some presentations by attorneys on getting through this process. Doing that helped me a lot. I got approved in 3 months.

If you don't have much work experience, you will be considered for SSI, rather than SSDI. (Depends on how many "credits" you have earned, which is determined by income and length of time working.) Right now the federal government is paying $733/month. (SSI Federal Payment Amounts) Your state might add something to that, depending on where you live. In addition, you would be eligible for a housing subsidy, which could take some years to get. (Go apply for a housing subsidy now, so you get on the waiting list. Being low income might be enough for you to qualify to get on the waiting list.)
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Default Mar 06, 2015 at 10:46 AM
  #12
You may want to ask your Therapist and P Doc for a cover letter when sending in your info. My Pdoc went to an Ivy League school and he said when he is passionate hat his patient cannot work, he includes a 2-3 page letter describing in detail your limitations and why you cant work. I think that and tons of doctors notes helped me as I needed it.
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Default Mar 06, 2015 at 03:11 PM
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Most doctors would prefer to send a letter directly to the SSA, rather than give it to you. Such a letter should not be thought of as a "cover letter." It is a statement of professional opinion, more like a medical consult. Therapists writing will help too. Get a lawyer. The law office will keep track of what records are sent by pdocs and therapists to the SSA.

You want to send your paperwork to the law office and let them forward it to SSA. They can catch anything inappropriate that you might innocently put down.
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Default Mar 10, 2015 at 01:08 PM
  #14
I don't think being young matters much. I'm 30 and I'm currently on SSDI for physical disabilities and have been for 4 years. I did get approved the first time around. I know that's not uncommon. I have kind of a different perspective. I'm a physician and I did a lot of SSDI evals. Being young doesn't really matter, I saw just as many young people as older people get approved.
I disagree with the idea of getting a lawyer initially. I would wait until and if you get denied before getting an attorney. They'll take your case on a contingency, but they will get paid eventually. They'll take a significant portion of your monthly amount, if you win, for a long period of time. And I have nothing against attorneys. My father's an attorney.
I think it's more important for you to develop a strong relationship with a physician who'll go to bat for you. Like everyone said, you need significant documentation of a severe and permanent disability to qualify.
Good luck.
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Default Mar 10, 2015 at 04:09 PM
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Some lawyers will tell you to apply on your own and only come to them, if you get turned down. That's because they don't make much money if they get you approved on your initial application. The only payment they can legally charge you is a percentage of your back benefits when you actually get approved. The longer it takes to get approved, the more back benefits there will be for them to get a slice of.

The law firm that helped me made absolutely nothing fron taking me as a client . . . zero, nada. I got approved so quickly that no back benefits had accumulated. They are fine with that. That's why I highly recommend those big firms that advertize on TV and on the Net. If they think you've got a reasonable chance of winning, they take you right away. Now how do they decide if you have that reasonable chance? One of the main things they look for is if you have a doctor who supports you applying.

I had a very supportive doctor. The advice the doctor gave me about the process, however, was not helpful at all. He told me that I would have a long, slow wait to get approved. I got approved in 3 months. (Largely because I bought books, written by lawyers, telling me how to fill out the paperwork.)

If you want medical advice, see a doctor. If you want legal advice, see an attorney. If someone advises you to do something, without indicating why they recommend that action, ask for their rationale. Then check if that rationale is true. Some people will tell you that you save money by avoiding getting a lawyer. The longer the process drags out, the more money that's in it attorneys.

Also, the severity of your problem is not what counts. What counts is the extent of how the problem undermines your ability to hold down a job. Establishing that linkage can be mainly a matter of how your case is presented.
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Default Mar 10, 2015 at 04:31 PM
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I see where pinkflower says that the attorney "will take a significant portion of your monthly amount, if you win, for a long period of time." That's a very fuzzy statement.

An attorney who gets you approved will take exactly 25 percent of your accumulated back payments. That will be paid to the attorney in one lump sum by the federal government, who will deduct it from the back payments owed to you. Then there is a ceiling on how high that can go. Under limited circumstances, the attorney can get further reimbursed for unusual expences. The federal government tightly regulates that.

Attorneys will tell you that having the right doctor can matter more than having the best attorney. I say, "Have both." (Especially now that there is political pressure on the SSA to make the process tougher.)
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Default Mar 10, 2015 at 09:32 PM
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I see where pinkflower says that the attorney "will take a significant portion of your monthly amount, if you win, for a long period of time." That's a very fuzzy statement.

An attorney who gets you approved will take exactly 25 percent of your accumulated back payments. That will be paid to the attorney in one lump sum by the federal government, who will deduct it from the back payments owed to you. Then there is a ceiling on how high that can go. Under limited circumstances, the attorney can get further reimbursed for unusual expences. The federal government tightly regulates that.

Attorneys will tell you that having the right doctor can matter more than having the best attorney. I say, "Have both." (Especially now that there is political pressure on the SSA to make the process tougher.)
I work with attorneys who file SSDI claims. If you have to appeal, which is incredible common, the attorneys are allowed to exceed the 25% or 6,000$ limit as long as it's considered "reasonable". I know of many, many people who got approved without an attorney. I was just offering my opinion, which last time I checked, was okay to do, that I would wait until I was denied before I hired an attorney to try to avoid fees if possible. It's just an opinion, and I don't think one that needs to be singled out or attacked.
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Wink Mar 10, 2015 at 11:39 PM
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I work with attorneys who file SSDI claims. If you have to appeal, which is incredible common, the attorneys are allowed to exceed the 25% or 6,000$ limit as long as it's considered "reasonable". I know of many, many people who got approved without an attorney. I was just offering my opinion, which last time I checked, was okay to do, that I would wait until I was denied before I hired an attorney to try to avoid fees if possible. It's just an opinion, and I don't think one that needs to be singled out or attacked.
I'm kind of wondering exactly what you do that you work with attorneys, especially since you seem to be misinformed. Yes, an attorney can get more than the 25% or 6000, but only if it's been appealed and approved. And, no, not all attorneys take money from every check every month, so that statement was "fuzzy." And Rose76 was simply stating her opinion. Yes, stating an opinion is allowed. But not just for you.

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Default Mar 11, 2015 at 06:59 AM
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I'm kind of wondering exactly what you do that you work with attorneys, especially since you seem to be misinformed. Yes, an attorney can get more than the 25% or 6000, but only if it's been appealed and approved. And, no, not all attorneys take money from every check every month, so that statement was "fuzzy." And Rose76 was simply stating her opinion. Yes, stating an opinion is allowed. But not just for you.
Is this really that big of a deal? Who cares. Can she not defend herself? Some attorneys do take money from every check for a period of time. I work as a physician who performs SSDI evals on the side and consults with attorneys daily. No, it doesn't have to be appealed and approved. It just has to be considered "reasonable". And not everything has to be approved by SSA. Attorney's fees for example. And your attorney can force payment, even if you lose if you don't have a contract specifically stating that they will only collect if you win. They can also apply for additional fees to be approved by SSA if your case is approved so quickly there are no back payments. It's not as black and white as I think it was presented. I just want to make sure people know what they're getting in for. I was just stating my opinion and experience. That doesn't warrant this.
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Default Mar 11, 2015 at 10:23 AM
  #20
I see what you're saying. I know that they CAN do that; that doesn't mean they WILL!

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