Hang in there, I’m sure things will get better! 
You are a brave person, and I admire you for that. I really hope everything goes well!
If I may suggest try Googling disability assistance programs in Texas. I used a similar free advocate to help defend my soon to be ex with an attempt to revoke her SSDI two years ago with great success.
Doing a search now I remember finding help from this website for NADR. Perhaps you may find some help here.
You are a good person and you will prevail.
Good luck.
Just about everyone gets denied the first time and needs to appeal.
Quoted for truth. My first husband had pulmonary fibrosis. It’s treatable but incurable, and dramatically reduces lung function. He was denied disability and we filed an appeal. The favorable decision came about three months after he died.
Get a lawyer who specializes in SSA disability.
You really don’t need a lawyer, they will take one-third of your settlement and do nothing that you wouldn’t do.
I think it’s worth it, to have someone on your side who’s familiar with the system. I’d change my opinion if I knew someone who successfully appealed without a lawyer.
Faithfool has enough on her plate in caring for herself and her husband without having to handle the case on her own.
My first husband got disability on the first try, so I’m ignorant of the way the appeals process works. If it just goes to a new person, I don’t think a lawyer makes sense. If it’s more involved than that, a lawyer might.
That’s the thing. Faithfool’s husband was denied. Unless he gets some new/different medical testing, the appeal will probably be denied too. SSA isn’t going to tell him what he needs to do, or what he missed. A lawyer will know what he needs to do.
Maybe it was something as simple as not looking at his primary doctor’s records, but maybe not.
Have your doctor, not the admin or nurse, write a letter detailing the disability.
You only need a lawyer if it gets appealed up to a judge.
I looked at the appeal process, and the reconsideration is the next step. The files, plus any additions, would be looked at by a new person from scratch.
faithfool, when you get a chance, take a look here and see if what they are saying makes sense to you. It feels pretty straightforward to me. There might be some point during the process that you can say, right now, “That’s the point where we’ll get a lawyer.” That point might be now, or it might be when it’s time for a hearing, etc.
Good point. My memory is shot about what is specifically required, but I know we had this done by his GP and his cardiologist.
Good advice, assuming the doctor has done this before and knows what to write. It’s not enough to say “Patient has MS.” The doc has to be very explicit about the effects of the MS, the long and short term prognosis, how it prevents the patient from working, performing daily activities, caring for himself, etc. Similar to workers comp, the doctor might do a disability rating. It can get complicated.
An administrative law judge is usually the next step, and a well-prepared applicant might win at this point, without a lawyer. One thing the lawyer does is show that there are no jobs in the local economy that the applicant can perform. The lawyer has access to labor reports and stats that an ordinary person might not find, or know how to use.
The step after the ALJ is federal district court, and you’d definitely need a lawyer there.
The fact that there are lawyers specializing in this field makes me think they’re necessary. I don’t have a cite, but it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that 80% are denied on first application, and that half of those win later on appeal.
I don’t like giving money to lawyers either, but sometimes it’s money well spent. I believe the maximum is 25%, with a dollar limit, and the ALJ/court has to approve the fee before the lawyer is paid.
My understanding, on good authority and experience, is that 9 out of 10 people will not need a lawyer. However, I’m going through the disability process now, so I might have a different opinion in 2 or 3 years.
BMalion, good luck to you!
Found a link with some good info.
The word here was supposed to contain a link, like this!
Let me know if you are still looking for work faithfool. I used to live and work in and around your city and I had a really fabulous job with a wonderful company while I was there and I would be happy to provide you their contact information. I can’t guarantee a position is available but it can’t hurt to apply!
Wow! I see this has been really active since I checked last. First of all, like usual, I want to say thank you for all the help and support everyone. You guys just don’t have any idea what it means to me. We’re both still pretty depressed about the whole denial thing, even though we’d heard that no one gets approved the first time, because of how it played out. However, I’m going to look at those links and see what we can figure you out. I’d love to get an attorney to help with this, if that’s what’s needed, but considering how strapped we still are, I’m afraid to let go of any of the money we actually will see. Regardless, it’s certainly something we’ll consider. Just got to get our heads wrapped around the next approach, is all. We’ll decide something within the next couple of days.
And to pbbth, I’ll shoot you a PM for that information. The thing that might be holding me up so far is my spotty work history once I started fighting mental health issues. So far, all the places I’ve applied to, I haven’t heard a word. But no matter what, I’ll keep forging ahead. Surely they’ll need another drive-thru assistant at Taco Bell soon enough. Again, thank you everyone, for eveything. You guys are amazing and I’m positive that all of us facing hardships are going to come out on the other side. We’ll kick these things in the ass, I just know it!
Our own Doper Quasimodem wound up having to “lawyer up” to get disability - he ultimately prevailed but it took well over a year, if my memory is correct.
Faithfool, I’m so saddened to hear all this is happening to you and your husband. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult this all must be. You are one of the best posters on the board. Keep on fighting the good fight, and never hesitate to ask for anything!
You shouldn’t need any money up front. The lawyer will work on a contingent fee basis. SSA has to approve any fees paid to the lawyer, so it might even be illegal for the lawyer to ask for a fee, until the case is concluded.
If a respiratory therapist with Alzheimer’s (Quasi) needed a lawyer, that tells us something.
That would be awesome, because, hey, free chalupas for Dopers!!
Just checking in to let you know that you have many, many supporters here who are following the thread but not necessarily posting much in it.
Stay strong,
mmm