How I Navigated the Social Security Disability Process
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: October 19, 2015
I’m on Social Security disability insurance (SSDI). Okay I said it, and, I’m also very thankful for it. I might sound somewhat perplexed, because it’s all new to me and isn’t what I had expected to deal with in life. Yet, I am realistic and understand that “things happen” to all people.
You hear about the horrifying, multi-year process involved when applying for SSDI benefits. These stories are in the media and everywhere, but I didn’t have to pay close attention, because I never expected I’d need SSDI.
I’ve always strategically planned for the unexpected. I’m a former corporate vice president of operations and international business leader of more than 30 years’ experience. My husband and I, together, had a significant income, owned a home in a country club, guard-gated community in Southern California, and were extensive travelers, etc. Then, the season changed – unexpectedly.
In 2012, I started to show medical symptoms from an old auto accident that had caused a brain injury. I had difficulty walking, memory loss, etc. My neurosurgeon explained what was occurring, and that major brain surgery was required for me to continue living. My first brain surgery was performed in July 2012; my second brain surgery in September 2012; and between 2012 and 2014, I underwent five brain/skull surgeries. My husband became my full-time caregiver, and our financial safety net was all compromised due to my health.
With that said, it was time to apply for SSDI. Friends recommended that I hire an attorney, but I went directly to www.ssa.gov and read the disability application requirements, and felt strongly that I could do it on my own via the website. I wasn’t in the best mental state to tackle an extensive application (I was in between brain shunt implant surgeries), but, was determined to apply for SSDI to help exercise my brain. When I got to the site, I found the SSA disability determination website amazingly user-friendly! I was able to, independently, apply online with the easy step-by-step instructions. When my mind needed to rest, I was able to save my information and, the next day, continue from where I left off. I did everything online — not once having to step foot in a field office to complete my application; and I received my disability benefits in four months!
What a decision to make! I always said that if I could work through the disability determination process successfully on my own, I’d publicly share my story to assist others. I continue to fulfill that promise every day, and as it turns out, I’m not an anomaly. The risk of disability is larger than we think: A 20-year-old worker has a 1-in-4 chance of needing disability benefits before reaching full retirement age! So, after 30 years in the workforce and contributing to the Federal Insurance Compensation Act (FICA), I sure am glad my disability insurance was there for me in my time of need.
Honestly, I get tired of hearing the negative stories about SSDI. It’s time for everyone to hear a good truthful story about the Social Security disability determination process and how it works in favor of claimants and truly serves the public.
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Tags: Disability, online services, social security, SSA
See CommentsAbout the Author
Jarita (J.D.) Davis, Social Security Disability Insurance Beneficiary and published author and blogger
Jarita (J.D.) Davis, Social Security Disability Insurance Beneficiary and published author and blogger
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Jack
I was a driver of tractor trailers had yearly checkup every thing the doctor said look good at age 43 started to get sick from Diabetes started testing 4-5 times a day and taking Novolog Insulin now I am 51 and I am on a pump and I take shots with meals about 495 units of Novolog with pump and shots a day. I put in for SSDI twice on Internet when I first got sick and turn down and not feeling so good so I hired a Lawyer to do the Dirty Work and two years after I started this I got my SSDI thank God just wan’ted to drop a line to let people Know your not alone I went in front of a Social Secuity Judge and two months later I had a check and Medical.
joe
wife is 46 and on SSDI. I will be 66 (FRA) will I be eligible for a spousal benefit at FRA? I have not taken SSI and do not plan to until age 70.
MiMi
From what I have read….YES, you should indeed be entitled to get 50% of what your wife gets….if she get $1000 then you will get $500…..Be sure and check with your Social Security Office or go on line to get the information on what you need to do. GOOD LUCK.
I d.
Call the SSA 800# and ask these questions!
However, my understanding is that you can only claim spousal benefit if your spouse has filed for RETIREMENT. They can “file and suspend”, meaning they are not drawing anything, and that will still allow you to get spousal benefits until YOU file for retirement.
In your case, your wife is receiving DISABILITY benefits, NOT retirement. She will automatically transition to retirement benefits at 62. It will be the same amount on money she would get on SSDI at that time, but if HER spousal benefit on YOUR retirement benefits is higher, she can claim those!
Example: By the time she is 62, you will be receiving your full retirement benefits plus the extra for waiting until age 70. Suppose your benefit is $2400/mo. Her spousal benefit would be $1200/mo., which might be more than her SSDI/retirement.
Yvette M.
I am actually happy you had an excellent experience and thank goodness you did not have to wait for years to get your benefits. However that was your experience and most do have to wait for YEARS to get there benefits as the illnesses become progressively worse and they incur financial debt because of being unable to work. I’m only speaking from experience and of the experiences of people I know. I have been personally fighting SSDI for 6 years since September 2009 with an attorney and with the case going pass the hearing phase on to federal court and of course still denied. Still have an attorney. Had to refile. Denied again and waiting to get a hearing date of which SSD is PASSED their own time-frame in which they are supposed to give me a hearing date. Again I am truly happy you did not have to have an experience like a great deal of other people. Please don’t discount others experiences just because you had a good one.There IS a reason why SSD has a bad reputation. I live in California.
Gerald
Back around 1981, while living in Brooklyn, N.Y. my wife, who was severely disabled & handicapped was told by her case worker that the only reason she could not get SSDI [formerly SSI]was that she was not a minority!!! #WHITE LIVES MATTER TOO! She has since passed away.
Kara
I was also told by my Doctor inTexas, that I could not get disability benefits unless I was black.
van h.
I have the same in Texas…4 yrs. still on Hold!!!!
Gayle
It only took me 5 months from application to check. I am 58 years old and have diabetes and neuropathy. My main problem now is having to wait TWO YEARS for medicare to kick in.
Teresa
Where do you live Gayle. I have the exact same thing plus other health problems and have been denied 4 times. I’m now suing federal government AND starting all over again. This has been going on over 3 1/2 years and I’m still waiting on everything for another 8 – 16 (or more) months. I’m 54 years old and live in CO.
Kara
Well, my freind has the same condition and she is on her first appeal after denial. LIES, LIES, LIES ! !
David
Here’s the deal until your age 55 and not a day sooner and less you’re literally crippled and on your deathbed they will deny deny deny deny you will have to wait for a hearing which in my area is 480 days from the day you apply after the last appeal is denied then they will run that all the way up until the day they have to make a hearing date and waive their hearings at the last moment and most likely own word you but this will not happen until you’re at least 55 it’s part of their grid that they use pretty screwed up system thing that really irritates me is when I hear people call this an entitlement the fact is the federal government we never had any right to it they were never dip into it but ever since the Vietnam War and I believe Johnson amended it and allow them into it for their war just the governments been dipping into it to the tune of about $2.1 trillion they only Social Security back this is why it is so hard for us to get what we need when we need it because they have used it and can’t replace it
Michele S.
You mean they have STOLEN SS funds that were for that and nothing else. Keep it simple.
KIRBY M.
I would like to add one thing. When you fill out the application on-line, copy and paste everything into a Word document or other word processor. Once you submit your application, you cannot get it back. If your application is rejected for any reason and you need to resubmit, you will have to retype the entire thing. If you have copied everything into a Word Processor like Word, you should be able to copy/paste back into the new forms.
Bruce S.
I have applied for SSID twice and been turned down. I am 68 and have been on regular Social Security since 2009. I first applied in 2006 and again in 2008. I have multiple conditions that add up to what I think makes me disabled, but I think that the process turns me into a blind man and the elephant problem WRT doctors. I cannot get the physicians to see my condition as a combination of different effects. I am blind in my left eye and have reduced vision in my right eye in which the best acuity I have ever had was 20/70. Now it is 20/100 or less due to cataract. I also have a mild case of spastic diplegia, a form of CP, but it and aging has reduced my mobility so that I can’t walk very far especially if it is below 65 deg. I think that the process to get SSDI suffers from medical malfeasance. I can’t function, that is take a job and get to it and have the money on ordinary SS to pay for expensive transportation, yet SS doesn’t consider me disabled. I blame the medical profession, the doctors I have had, and am willing to go the lawyer route to get the $75,000 dollars I may be entitled to.
bettyg
bruce,
you’ve been on SS since 09; you are NOW 68.
fyi, when i turned 66, i was informed my status was changed from DISABLED TO RETIRED. NO change in $$ received.
looks like since you’re 68; you are OVER the limit to APPLY/BE APPROVED for ssdi benefits.
IF YOU CONTINUED TO PURSUE EACH DENIAL without any delays meeting THEIR DEADLINE DATES, you mIGHT be eligibe if you had the 20 quarters worked in last 10 yrs.
good luck
bettyg, iowa
MiMi
Bruce you can NOT double dip….the government will NOT pay you both your retirement and disability. I am not sure who you have talked to BUT you are NOT entitled to get any more than you are already receiving. Someone should have informed you of this. Good luck. BE glad you are getting a check.
eliedith
Raymond at SSA: My husband just got his medicare card and is retiring in april. IS it recommended that he get a medicare advantage plan? is there a cost? im an adjunct professor and PhD student.
bettyg
i got HUMANA PPO.
i currently pay $47/month for this insurance. rest of payment comes from SS paying this co. what they pay for medicare monthly.
i’ve been well satisifed!
they messed up for 6 months getting my RX prescriptions going and straightened out; now it works like a fine tooth comb 😉
bettyg, iowa
R.F.
To find information about Medicare Advantage Plans, visit http://www.medicare.gov. We hope this helps!
eliedith
thank you
Dr. C.
Will like someone call me–402 697 1985.
Thanks a bunch.
YAYU I.
My situation is complicated. I can’t tell anymore but I hope someday my parents understand if I was gives anything I can do to make my parents HAPPYNEES and all the requests I should be able to see if I had a family until everything is broke, I am must be single parents from two daughters and must be a stranger to be a great finally to make a sure If rich never should’ve how much you have a lot of money. Nothing is more important than a happiness family. Love from our family’s important supporting. Regrets
Shirley F.
I think the process is horrible. My nephew has cancer – he has gone through surgery and chemo – problems with his lungs, heart and kidneys. Denied twice for disability – he has 2 little girls to support. This will be a year end of this month.
bettyg
get his state’s FEDERAL SENATORS/HOUSE REPS involved in his case. ssdi has to reply to those people monthly what is going on, etc.
good luck; that’s NOT RIGHT!!
bettyg, iowa activist
Marti
YES I DO BELIEVE IT IS RIGGED BUT ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED SAME JOB FOR 30YEARS AND EARNED 9 + SALARY
SEEM. TO GET THEIR SSDI APPROVED MUCH QUICKER
DIDNT EVEN HAVE TO DO THE MANDITORY 5 MONTH WAITING PERIOD. SO YEAH ID SAY ITS RIGGED FOR THE RICH. AND THERE IS NO MIDDLE CLASS ANYMORE.
Mary
That’s bull. There aren’t that many people that made over minimum wage. I was never rich. I worked my butt off. I was a single mother raising two boys by myself. Physically, mentally, and financially. Worked two and three jobs at a time many times to make ends meet. I understand the system is not fair and never will be.. They need to weed through the ones on disability that take advantage And not just disability. Welfare and all. I am on disability for very good reasons and people think they support me because of it. That’s bull also. I worked since I was 15 and paid taxes just like others. If I wasn’t eligible for it I wouldn’t have been accepted. I’d much rather work then to live like this. I loved working and miss it.
Albert
My son never had the chance to see the ADJ because his attorney decided to not represent him anymore. Ever since he graduated from high school he has not been able to work because of having to inject himself with insulin three times a day. He is now 24 years old and has to live with us and who knows what will happen to him once I, and my wife die. We have to take him to the doctor, order his medication and call in to set up his doctor’s appointments. He can’t do any physical work even at home, so I know he would never make it as an employee in any job.
bettyg
albert,
your son can STILL have his admin law judge hearing even if his lawyer quit him like mine did 4 yrs. into this.
i represented myself at it. i spent 7 months reading thru each paper and looking thru the list of APPROVED LIST OF ADULT IMPAIRMENTS and giving the section no. that applied to my various drs. medical files in my chart! I WON!!!!!
since you are familiar to his claim, see if YOU could serve in a non-lawyer capacity to help your son since it appears he’s unable to do this himself.
bettyg, iowa
took me 5 yrs. to be approved;
i have 3 out of 4 drawers full of medicall records to date!
Melanie
We all need an Advocate some times, most expecially or children and Parents!
Albert
I just wish he had let me walk in with him when he talked with the attorney. I know I would have convinced him to at least be there with my son, but my son just signed the paperwork that kept him from being represented. I might do what you said, but I have to gather all his medical records and that may take months, but I’ll do it for his sake.
I d.
YOU don’t have to “gather all his medical records”…you just need to list all his medical and mental health providers and the approximate dates he saw them. SSA will order all the records at no cost or effort from you!
That part should have already been done when the lawyer was working with him. Check with SSA to find out if the case is pending or what.
If you need to, you can apply/re-apply online and fill everything out yourself as your son’s designated representative.
BUT–ask your local SSA office for the CD of his file…all the records they’ve received. Then go through it and check everything off against the original application to make sure SSA received ALL the records. If I hadn’t been curious to read my records, and been the detail-oriented nerd that I am, I would never have discovered that the two CRUCIAL records my case depended on weren’t there! There was a mountain of other (irrelevant) records from various hospital stays and injuries, but not the records for the condition that disabled me!
If it feels like too much, just find another lawyer who specializes in Disability claims.
Michele S.
I have had THREE DIFFERENT attorneys over FIFTEEN YEARS. They are worthless and do NOT advocate for you! If your case is not “cut and dry”, don’t expect them to do anything that requires any effort on their part. Even WITH attorneys they had ME taking the forms in to my Dr.s to fill out, etc. And almost every one of the ELEVEN denials I have received so far have basically called me a liar. I have had it with them, and ready to sure them AND the attorneys I have had over the years. It is just ridiculous and I have had enough!!!!!
Hail E.
Everything is very open with a clear explanation of the issues. It was truly informative. Your website is very helpful. Thank you for sharing!
http://dealershail.com/
Abraham R.
Is it true at end of 2016 SSDI is going to cut our benifits down about $200.00 per mounth ???
Cathy
Yes, SSDI payments are facing a 19% cut in 2016. If you receive $1000 a month now, you would loose $190 a month at 19% decrease in benefits. This is not a done deal as of yet. Congress and Obama are trying to avoid this happening, but everyone should plan accordingly to the real possibility of the lost income.
eric k.
Vote another bafoon as a prez
Marc
“Congress and Obama” were NOT trying to avoid this happening; what happened was the very first act the all Republican majority in the House and Senate did when they took over January 1, 2015 was CUT Social Security Disability by 20%. If it hadn’t been for Obama, everyone on SSDI would have taken that cut. By the way, that law is still out there, and now those same Congressmen are spreading around that Obama “stole” money from Social Security retirees to give it to all of the “fakers” that claim to be disabled just because they don’t want to work. That is what your wonderful Congress says publicly about disabled persons on SSDI. They want to dismantle Social Security and know people wouldn’t stand for that, so they are chopping it up a piece at a time. And people are lapping it up. Divide and conquer. The elderly blaming the disabled for “stealing” from their retirement, and all of us against each other so we don’t notice them and their wealthy corporate overlords running off with the money. At least get the facts straight.
R.F.
Hi, according to the Social Security Board of Trustees, the Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be depleted in 2016 unless Congress acts. At that point (2016), only 81 percent of disability benefits will be paid.