Comments on: Frivolous Disability Claims Are Overloading The Social Security Disability System

By: Cheryl D

Cheryl D — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:54:38 +0000

Although completely eligable for SSD according to SSD standards I was refused and had to hire and attorney who after signing a contract for the alotted amount to bill waited until outside the courtroom on the hearing day to demand a higher percent or “I have to find another attorney to represent me and that will delay my case considerably”. That was blackmail but I had to sign. Years had gone by without income. I was turned down by a Philipine justice temporarily brought into ease the backlog. I fired her and hired another attorney. He also signed a contract for the allotted amount allowed by ssd to bill. After my case sat for three more years I won. Now after the fact he applied to the court and an administrative judge gave him and HER five thousand dollars extra on top of the alloted fee for all their work. Excuse me but they both signed a contract. And now the Lawyers in NY have found a new scam to get money to each other. They have found a way to circumvent the Federal governments limits and give each other more money!! SSD needs to be handled not by attorneys but by state salaried employees. Lawyers are not needed to gulp up greedy sums off the disabled.

By: Bob Kraft

Bob Kraft — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:48:02 +0000

Unfortunately, we hear stories like this Alost daily. It’s shocking how many people are in horrible financial situations because of the sad state of our disability system.
If you want to discuss this further, please call our office and we’ll be glad to visit with you.
Robert A. Kraft
Kraft & Associates
Injury, Disability & Immigration
2777 Stemmons Freeway, Suite 1300
Dallas, Texas 75207
(214) 999-9999
(817) 999-9999
(800) 989-9999
mailto:rkraft@kraftlaw.com
http://www.kraftlaw.com

By: Veteran of the Psychic wars and others

Veteran of the Psychic wars and others — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:17:16 +0000

I just turned 50. I am an “Unemployable” Veteran on disability and applying for SS disability. My list of conditions takes a page, suffice it to say I have widespread OA, am 2 inches shorter from spinal compression, bad back-head to tail, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFIDS),bad knees,bad shoulder, loss of peripheral vision, hearing loss, severe DJD in both feet (one recently operated on)OA in both hands, GERD from pain meds, liver function problems, Depression,ADD and more.
I am having difficulty with the system because as my first SS medical reveiwer wrote, “He is going to online school instead of looking for work.”
OK, so if I try to find work by education in a way that actually allows me to attend classes without more concern about physical limitations, I am not trying to work?
I have not been able to meet job productivity requirements for more than 3 months at a time of 5 day a week work – and I worked in Rehabilitation!
Yet, SS says that if you can work anything for [it seems even one day] you are not disabled.
I got a further comment,”….the way you describe your job,yes, you could not do it, BUT- (remember this is in healthcare)the way MOST other practitioners describe the job you could continue to do it….
So, by being ethical, in not “paperwhipping” a treatment or in providing a “cookie-cutter” hand out sheet and some instructions – this is considered a “standard of care”?
How do I approach the upcoming hearing and not become adversarial on this point?
The other factor is that I do have an increasing amount of “cognitive processing deficits” coming into play – word finding,concentration, time management because I have to double check myself for entry errors, calculations, or even basics of diagnostic criteria. These were never “documented” on efficiency ratings, just a lot of informal “chats” with my supervisor because I was trying to stay employed. I was let go twice because I was “not productive enough” secondary to my continuing “disabling conditions” – which I was upfront about with all employers. I could never tolerate “stupid” people in the healthcare system and then I became one, and felt ethically required to retire my license.
I tried internet marketing, I still “try” but so far my “income” has been all negative except for a grand total of about $500 for the year of 2007. These are what a “college educated person SHOULD be able to do….” How does one document, attention to detail missing so business not such a good idea?
Again, how do I avoid being “adversarial”?
(By the way I am not always even this well organized and to the point, so please forgive my inability to state in “100 words or less”)
I really feel for some of the other posters here, especially the family with the man with paraplegia – I went through some of that with my mother. I would be willing to share some further sources of information on agencies that focus on assistance to those with that set of needs.

By: Bob Kraft

Bob Kraft — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:05:03 +0000

I’m very sorry to learn of your husband’s problems. From what you’ve written, I doubt we could help you, but we’d be glad to visit with you if you want to call us.
You make an excellent point about cash workers. If you don’t pay into the system, you can’t qualify for benefits.

By: J.M.

J.M. — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:40:50 +0000

I’ve gone round and round with them. My husband is a T-11 para incomplete as a result of a spinal epidural abscess which left him paralyzed from the waist down with complete loss of bowel and bladder function. Yet, because I as his spouse make too much money, he’s not eligible for disability benefits. And because as a taxicab driver he never paid into the system, he cannot avail himself of any of those benefits either. (Let THAT be a lesson to all those out there who work for cash thinking that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush!)
Yet it galls me that so many people who clearly COULD work, who CAN walk and CAN function are collecting disability. Grr.
Well, as a legal secretary, I’ve heard my boss say many times, “It’s a legal system, not a justice system.”