Lesson 7: Applying for disability
Facts About Making a Successful Disability Claim
A word of warning. In the US, if you apply and win a disability judgment from both your employment insurance and Social Security, you will not be collecting double. The two work together to try to make up a portion of your former salary if it is determined that you are unable to work. Sometimes people who were paid the entire sum through their employer and then later were awarded the SSA claim had to refund the difference to the original grantor of benefits.
Another warning - you may want to hire yourself a lawyer specializing in disability right off the bat. The SSA (and your own insurance companies) is in the business of being tough, in order to root out malingerers. In the process they tend to also root out many people with legitimate claims who didn't know how to properly present their own cases. In fact SSA rejects 75% of the claims that they receive, and 82% of the claims appealed to them for reconsideration. Private insurance companies are equally careful. But if you take your appeal to court and let a judge make the decision, the approval figure rises to 53% nationwide. So winning your claim is not a foregone conclusion, nor is it easy.
- So what is your first step? We talked about this in lesson two. Make sure that you have a doctor who is willing to support your claim and fill out the paperwork. It will simplify your own life immensely. It will also improve your chances, especially if you provide your physician with all the information he or she needs to document your case. Use this Disability Worksheet to get the information you need ready for your doctor.
- Next, make sure that you get a diagnosis from a board certified professional qualified to diagnose fibromyalgia. While your GP may well be able to make the diagnosis correctly, the SSA (and probably your own insurance company) will no doubt prefer a diagnosis from a rheumatologist. Your family doctor should be able to refer you to a good one.
- Begin collecting any and all information that will help to support your claim of disability. This means everything from getting statements from employers to documenting all situations where you find yourself unable to function as you used to in some ordered fashion. Keep track of your medication and whether it helps. And keep track of all your symptoms. You will want to give this documentation to your doctor and the rheumatologist to help them with their end of your claim, but you will also find it invaluable when you start filling out your application.
