After just under 5 years I finally recieved my SSDI approval.
I went through the whole 9 yards all the way to appealing the judges denial and having it overturned in my favor. Not seen any money yet but waiting.
I was glad to find this forum and this is my first post.
After all I been through fighting social security I will be glad to help in anyway I can.
although lawyers did most the work. I lost everything I owned literally while waiting
but now I get 3 years of that wait in backpay. (They wouldn't give it all)
Gene USN

Gene:

First of all welcome to Hadit. That is tough to wait for 5 years but Congrats on your win. It usually does not take to long after a win to see some money.

Can you tie your disability to Service and do you have a claim against VA? If so the SSD win can usually help.

Good Luck

Gene, Welcome to Hadit and I'm glad to hear that you overcame the challenges SSA put you through and won your case.

7 heart attacks and 3 minor strokes
all many years after service so I dont see it getting service connected.
Thanks for the warm welcome

I don't know how many Veterans can service connect to their service. I recommend that you request your service and medical records and check for golden nuggets. You may be surprised.

Your exit physical and anything that you were treated for can be helpful.

Not sure how anyone survives on SSDI but it is better than nothing.
I only had one bad accident in service where an unsecured hatch
Slammed down on me, hit me in the head and dropped me down a ladder.
I was sent to ER for that one.

Gene, Welcome, and i commend you for not packing it in early on, as some do. I hope you can re-establish yourself with the retro pay and get back into the mainstream of?? The best too you! William N.

Mainstream? I figure since I cannot work i am going to concentrate on my 3d animations and see what happens with that. That in itself should keep me busy.

Click to view attachment

Very cool graphics. I prefer the Hadit Emblem over the disabled sign though

I can remove the disabled sign.

Gene,
if your SSDI award is below $1200 pr month, you may be better off filing for Non-service connected VA Pension. It's something to consider.

Allan

Question..? I filed for SSD in April 08 seeking retro back to the last day i worked which was March 31,2007. I am currently receiving NSC pension, and have been since January 1st, 08.
How will this all be offset?? What i want to do is receive the retro check and tell SSD that i no longer wish to receive disability payments. (as my pension chk. is larger than SSD monthly ck.) Is this do/able??? Or should i just drop the SSD case entirely ??? William N.

William,
since Non service connected Pension is a needs bases program & SSDI is an earned federal program, your NSC-Pension will be offset, dollar for dollar.
You will likely continue to recieve SSDI & the DVA will make up the difference up to the alowable amount for Pension. I would not rely on VA alone for medical. I would recomend all vets that have medicare to keep it.
There are deductibles for medical expenses/drugs, including your medicare premiums.
You need to talk to whoever you report your income to at the VAMC to get the complete information.

Allan

I looked into this awhile back when va doctors told me to get on va disability. But I was told since my service was not during wartime I was ineligable. I am post vietnam vet, I joined in 77.

Am I eligible? Some vets have said they got it.

Gene,
According to the information I pulled up, you missed it by a couple years.
************************************************************
Who is eligible?


Generally, you may be eligible if:

you were discharged from service under conditions other than dishonorable,
AND

you served at least 90 days of active military service 1 day of which was during a war time period. If you entered active duty after September 7, 1980, generally you must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which called or ordered to active duty (There are exceptions to this rule),
AND

your countable family income is below a yearly limit set by law (The yearly limit on income is set by Congress),
AND

you are age 65 or older, OR, you are permanently and totally disabled, not due to your own willful misconduct.
As you can see, there are a number of criteria that may affect your eligibility to pension benefits. If you are unsure if you meet all criteria, we encourage you to go ahead and file an application, particularly if your countable income appears to be near the maximum. VA will determine if you are eligible and notify you. If you do not initially qualify, you may reapply if you have un-reimbursed medical expenses during the twelve month period after VA receives your claim that bring your countable income below the yearly income limit. (These are expense you have paid for medical services or products for which you will not be reimbursed by Medicare or private medical insurance.)

******************************************************

VA Pension Benefits
Periods of War for VA Benefits Eligibility

The most up-to-date electronic version of 38 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 3 and 4 is maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA's site for this is here: e-CFR. If you want to insure you have the most up to date version of this regulation please be sure to check e-CFR.

§3.2 Periods of war.

This section sets forth the beginning and ending dates of each war period beginning with the Indian wars. Note that the term "period of war" in reference to pension entitlement under 38 U.S.C. 1521, 1541 and 1542 means all of the war periods listed in this section except the Indian wars and the Spanish-American War. See §3.3(a)(3) and ((4)(i).

(a) Indian wars. January 1, 1817, through December 31, 1898, inclusive. Service must have been rendered with the United States military forces against Indian tribes or nations.

( Spanish-American War. April 21, 1898, through July 4, 1902, inclusive. If the veteran served with the United States military forces engaged in hostilities in the Moro Province, the ending date is July 15, 1903. The Philippine Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion are included.

© World War I. April 6, 1917, through November 11, 1918, inclusive. If the veteran served with the United States military forces in Russia, the ending date is April 1, 1920. Service after November 11, 1918 and before July 2, 1921 is considered World War I service if the veteran served in the active military, naval, or air service after April 5, 1917 and before November 12, 1918.

(d) World War II. December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946, inclusive. If the veteran was in service on December 31, 1946, continuous service before July 26, 1947, is considered World War II service.

(e) Korean conflict. June 27, 1950, through January 31, 1955, inclusive.

(f) Vietnam era. The period beginning on February 28, 1961, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period. The period beginning on August 5, 1964, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in all other cases. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101(29))

(g) Future dates. The period beginning on the date of any future declaration of war by the Congress and ending on a date prescribed by Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101)

(h) Mexican border period. May 9, 1916, through April 5, 1917, in the case of a veteran who during such period served in Mexico, on the borders thereof, or in the waters adjacent thereto. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101(30))

(i) Persian Gulf War. August 2, 1990, through date to be prescribed by Presidential proclamation or law. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101(33))

[26 FR 1563, Feb. 24, 1961, as amended at 32 FR 13223, Sept. 19, 1967; 36 FR 8445, May 6, 1971; 37 FR 6676, Apr. 1, 1972; 40 FR 27030, June 26, 1975; 44 FR 45931, Aug. 6, 1979; 56 FR 57985, Nov. 15, 1991; 62 FR 35422, July 1, 1997] [See Federal Register]

Thanks.
Wasn't my fault, I served my 6 years with Honorable Discharge.
Carter just wasn't a war President.

No check yet

Congratulations,

How much for the graphics? I am looking for something basketball related.

I'll make ya something free
want kookiebean on it?

Believe it or not after searching hundreds of 3d objects in my collection...Nothing basketball???
I hope this is ok.
[img]http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e191/testiclese/kookie.gif[/img]

Not sure how to open?

typed in http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e191/testiclese/kookie.gif[/img] to my web browser. "Message moved or deleted"

take off the brackets
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e191/testiclese/kookie.gif

Very Kool

Still no first check (Date of decision July 28,2008)
Found out backpay is on hold because I changed Lawyers midstream because my first was disability advocates who stopped answering their phone and then their website went offline too. Meaning they are out of business.
So I hired Lawyers and sent letters out firing the advocates for lack of contact. And now they are holding my backpay to sort all that out. Certainly hope that does not take too long.
They closed up shop! Sigh. Just more problems.

They will get it fixed sorry that happened to you.

Yeah it's just that when I think it is finally all over , this happens.

44 days and no word nor check.
Not really griping but I figure this is a good example for others to see the experiences others go through.

I'm at day 38 hang in there, we will celebrate together . Mine is sitting on a managers desk awaiting review, still in suspense today. I called my V.S.O. he said he would go talk to her Ulrike Willimon, VSCM

Well I am in Houston and The Hurricane is not going to help speed things up at all.

Still no check.
And I imagine they will use the hurricane as an excuse to take longer.
it has already been 60 days now.

Checking in to see if you have any notice about your check. Hope its soon for you, was told last week about ssdi approval and been notified of a deposit date. Got kiddos fixed up for benefits too. Got access to my account online (password) and it has some details.

Regards you being a peacetime vet, thars no reason you cant file for sc disablity if you have proof. SMRs, VA Cfile and current medical care for same helps. Just dont give up, persistence and patience can be rewarded with earned benefits due you!

Best to ya,

Cg

Thanks cowgirl
Still no check. Local office will only tell me they are working on it.
They were a bit rude about it as well.

Called local SSI office and they said Payment office got it on July 30th.
They cant give me a number to call and I just have to wait.
This is rediculous.

I was notified I won SSDI about a month after the decision. It took another two months or so before the $$$$ showed up in direct deposit account.
They check, recheck, recheck and recheck before they let go of it for us vets.
You need to sell loans you know someone can't afford and make a darn good living off of it, before the gov will cut the check any sooner. Then they will make you so wealthy, you won't need the SSDI.

3 months now and not a cent

Gene, I am sorry to hear you are still getting the run around.
Have you checked with your local office or wherever you filled?
I was fortunate and got total SSDI with my first application amd claim process. I did it my mail and phone with the application. Have the physical and receivd my pay and retro in about 3 months. Unlike the VA the SS personel I dealt with were honest and caring people. Good luck. Call those you have dealt with.

Yes local office told me they know nothing until payment office is through with it.
and they refused to give me a number to check on it, She said she would shoot em a memo though.

I don't know when they said your disability started but you won't get any money for 6 months from the start of your disability that was determined by the SS office.

I filed Jan 8, 2008 I did not get my first check until Aug 16, 2008 I was approved for SS in 4/08. My case went to review for 2 months. I got my approval letter in June 08. SS determined my date of disability to be Jan 08, my last date of work was 12/07.

Good Luck and congratulations, it will come soon.

The onset is in 2004.
Lawyer told me this week that she got a letter in September stating it was sent back to the appeals court judge fir final approval. She said few win on appeals level and it has to go back to them for some kind of final approval now. So hopefully anytime now.

Still nothing 5 months later

SPLEEN,
CONGRATS ON THE SSDI AWARD, I KNOW THE AWARD IS NOTHING WITHOUT THE MONEY. JUST KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND SOMETHING MAY DROP IN YOUR LAP SOON.

Got my letter today!
YAY!

So hopefully that ment you got your money? I hope so

SPLEEN,
ONCE AGAIN CONGRATS, DOES THIS MEAN YOU HAVE YOUR BACKPAY? MY LAST QUESTION, WHAT STATE ARE YOU IN AND DID YOU HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF A ALJ FOR YOUR FINAL DECISION?

The letter says I will shortly recieve $31,000 in backpay up to Dec. 08
and will get $900 a month thereafter.

BACKPAY RECIEVED!!!!!
Awesome to think it is finally over!
Huge weight lifted off me now.

When you get the money you know its real. Congrats!!!!!

Niiiiiccceee! Sweetness! Take it easy,

Best to ya,
Cg'up2009

Congrats and good job waiting and hanging tough. This is a good story.