| Author |
Message |
    
Betty Quibodeaux
Rating: 
Votes: 3 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2001 - 6:07 am: | 
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Hi, I am 43 and i live in Louisiana. I was rear-ended in 8-99. The car
that hit me shoved me into the car in front of me. I was at a red
light. In March of 2000 i kept hurting so they did an MRI and this is
what they found. First, the wreck activated osteoarthritis and i have
been on celebrex since March. The study demonstrates reversal of the
normal lorkosis. Multilevel degenerative disc disease from L2 through
L4 and Schmorl's nodes. L1-L2: Osteophytes, faucet hypertrophy, central
disc bulging and reversal ot the normal lordotic curvature causing
borderline to mild AP spinal stenosis. L2-L3 Small right paracentral
protusion and osteophyte formation causing mild spinal stenosis and
right sided neural foraminal narrowing. L3-L4 Osteophytes and central
disc bulging with borderline spinal stenosis and mild left sided neural
foraminal narrowing, largely secondary to bony hypertrophy. Incidtal
note is made of a hemangioma of L3. L4-L5: Osteophytes and central disc
bulging w/o stenosis or neural foraminal narrowing. L5-S1 Same as
L4-L5. The doctor says i am not disabled. I hurt all the time. He says
it is from the arthritis. I was working as a cashier but i can't stand
up for long periods of time anymore. What do you think i should do. In
the upper MRI i have 2 ruptured disc in my neck. Surgery isn't needed
at this time. I am trying to learn to live with pain. Can you advise
me. Thankyou for your help. |
admin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2001 - 12:42 pm: |
|
Betty: You need a local lawyer! See the top of this page for suggestions about how to get one. Best of luck. |
Tom Lovelace
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 28, 2001 - 7:02 am: |
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I am 27 years old & a high school graduate. I have previously
worked in maunal labor type jobs(landscaping, well drilling). I have
multiple ruptured discs in my lower back and have had one surgery to
relieve severe leg pain. After the surgery in 1999 I went back to work
and started having more problems in Sept. of 2000 and have not worked
since. The MRI showed 4 ruptured discs, one severly ruptured. Doctors
have told me they cannot help me by surgery. I am in constant pain and
have to take pain medication every 4 hours. I am also being treated for
depression. I have been denied SSD benefits twice and I am now in the
process of the reconsideration. I will probably get an attorney. Any
comments from you are appreciated. |
Paul McChesney
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 30, 2001 - 5:32 am: |
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Tom: At your age I would get an attorney, and a good one. Claims can be
difficult for the young. With your back I would certainly file. Make
sure your doctor is backing you. See the begining of this section for
how to do that. Good luck! |
Mike Brown
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2001 - 4:52 pm: |
|
I am 52 years old now, high school grad.and worked in a auto factory only in my life. I had 1st back surgery in
1996.
I was a auto plant production worker. I got worse after surgery and in
1997 had a L4-L5---L5-S1 fusion with BAK cages. I applied for SS and
went before the judge in 1999. The judge ruled I was disabled for 2
years and set a date of Dec. 1999 as being able to return to gainful
work. My company retired me on medical in 1998. I appealed to the
Appeals Council and they remanded it back to the judge stating that
there was no medical evidence to say I could work on the date she said.
I have since had another disk surgery at C6-C7 and Nuerologist states I
have 3 other herniated disks in my neck that will probably require
surgery and fusion in the future. The new judge has set me up with a SS
doctor for a eveluation next week. I can hardly get around, can not
sleep, and am really depressed. How does a Remand to a judge help my
chances of getting SS again. All this might not make sence but my mind
can not communicate to my fingers like it use to.
From Paul:
David,
it sounds to me as if you should be found disabled, but I cannot be
sure without seening all of the medical records. A judge will often
rule based on some piece of paper you have never seen. I would get an
attorney who does a lot of this to help you.
Good luck. |
Teresa K.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2001 - 7:26 am: |
|
I
am 42 yrs old and live in the state of SC. I have worked most of my
life. Last Year I had trouble with my back at a few days I couldn't
walk, sleep or do anything. This year I found a new doctor to go to and
he did a MRI on me. The MRI shows I have arthritis from my L2-L5, plus
my S1 is narrowing where my spinal cord ends causing numbness 24/7 in
my lower exteremities. Would it be hard for me to try disability. The
only surgery will be if it comes down to a complete emergency surgery.
I cannot lift, bend, push or pull on anything.
Reply by Paul:
You
might have a claim; it depends on your age, education and work
experience, as well as your imparimet. You must have a doctor who will
back you up, and at your age I would get a lawyer right away. You
should work, or file, or in some cases do both. You should never do
neither.
|
Lisa Ewing
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 01, 2001 - 5:15 pm: |
|
I
live in Illinois I`m 28 years old and have had the same job for 5 years
and worked constantly since age 16. I had a bad auto wreck in May 2000.
Since then I have been in constant and severe neck and back pain and
unable to work. My doctor recently discovered I have degenerating dics
disease in two levels of my back and space is narrowing between my
bones he also feels that dds is also what is causing my neck pain. I
also have a number of dics bulges and tears in both areas. My doctor
wants me to try vocational retraining but because of such great pain
all the time in standing, sitting, laying, and everything I do , I`m
not sure I will ever be able to hold another job. I have a 5 year old
daughter and no income to support her I am getting ready to file
bankruptcy and move back in with my parents.Is there some hope for me.
Thank you for your help. Help Me PLEASE!!! I am currently married but
my husband is not currently making enough to support us he is recently
recovering from back surgery.
Reply by Paul: You have
a chance if you can prove the severity of your condition. It will be
harder to win since you are young. Get a lawyer right now, and a good
one. There are some excellent Social Security attorneys in Illinois. |
kenny smith
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2001 - 11:26 am: |
|
I
am 38 with a high school education and a diploma as an acct. clerk from
a vocational. tech. school. I been in the work force for 20 yrs. I been
having back,leg and neck pain and problems for over a 1 yr. and haven't
worked since this happen. I've had steroid injections, also taking
vicodine,skelaxin,remeron for depression/anxeity. I've also had
mri,ct/myleogram test done and the doctor diagnose me as having a pinch
nerve due to a disc which is causing me a lot of leg pain and also my
lower back is unstable due to an accident and a strain neck. My doctor
recommends that have lower back surgery for both problems which should
be coming up in a couple of weeks. He says I want be able to return to
work. My question is do I need to file for a disability claim now.
Reply by Paul
Well, you might. It can take a year and a half to get to a hearing, and
there is a chance that you might not recover enough to work. If you
file now, while you are recovering, your hearing date will be coming
up, slowly. You should try to return to work, of course. Good luck with
your surgery. |
Robert LaGrange
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2001 - 5:19 pm: |
|
I
am a 35 year old male that does plumbing work and has done this type of
work for about 11 years. I had back surgery last December for a
herniated disk and just found out today from the surgeon that I am
going to have to have surgery again for a colapsed disk, plus I have
severe degenerative disk disease in my spine. What I would like to know
is, with all these problems, what are my chances of getting disability?
Today at the surgeon's office, he wrote a paper for me to be out of
work until further notice from him.
Also, I would like to know if
there are any type of programs that can help me financially until I can
hopefully get on disability. I live in western NC.
Reply by Paul On the one hand, 35 is young to get disabilty; on the other hand a second back operation is serious news.
You hope that you recover, but cannot know that you will.
In
case you don't recover, file a claim; it takes many, many months to get
to a hearing, the third level, and it is unusual for someone so young
to get an award before then. You can't know whether by then you will
have recovered, so that the only rational step is to file just in case.
In case you do recover, make it your current job to try to
identify and qualify yourself for work that doesn't strain that back of
yours.
Whether there are other programs to help get you by
depends upon your county. Please let me know, and I might be able to
suggest what might be available. It is helpful if you will put your
email address in the blank; that way I can respond directly as well as
on this page.
I personally handle cases in Western North
Carolina; give me a phone call at 1 800 775 3985 and I will help all I
can. Take care and good luck. |
t.latin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 28, 2001 - 7:55 pm: |
|
i'm a 34 year old women my doctors say that i have a herniated disk
that is on the left hand side and is pitching off nerves to the left
arm i get bad headaches my neck stiffens up and i can't move for days
my doctor wants me sign up for ssi he says i need surgry |
Paul McChesney (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 11, 2002 - 5:09 am: |
|
If you are so impaired that you cannot move for days, that is, you
could not even go in and attend the most sedentary work, and you can
get a doctor to say that, and no other doctor that they might send you
to disagrees, then you might be successful at a Social Security
Disability or SSI claim. Take care. |
Bob Johnson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2002 - 12:58 pm: |
|
I am a 42 year old male, live in south carolina. Have paid taxes since
i was 12 years old.I've worked as a machinist since 1979.Have had 4
ruptured lumbar disk surgiers in the past 4 years.Surgreon says i am
setting myself up for a major problem in the future!Do i qulify for
ssd.
I don't want to end up not being able to walk or in pain the rest of my life. |
Paul McChesney (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 16, 2002 - 6:18 am: |
|
Bob, 4 back surgeries is a lot, especially for someone who makes his
living in part with his back. Most folks with that many back surgeries
have a good chance at a disability claim. Make sure your doctors plan
to support you, and if you find you cannot work, file a claim. |
Dan Griner
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 21, 2002 - 4:53 pm: |
|
I am 52 year old male and have had 3 back surgeries one with fusion of
2 levels. I have only worked in the same line of work (auto Assembly
plant). I live in Ok. When I went to the judge I was given 2 years of
benefits and the judge gave a date and said I was able to work at that
time. I was 49.6 years old then. I appealed to the appeals council and
after a year they remanded it back to the judge saying they agreed I
was disabled but could find no medical evidence to support the decision
of being able to work as of a certain date. They said they vacated the
decision pertaining to being able to go back to work on account of no
medical evidence suppoting it. This has been 2 years since they
remanded it back. Could you tell me what vacated the decision means and
if you think I have a good chance of winning this time....I check your
forum every day and think you are doing a great job.....Thanks |
Paul McChesney (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2002 - 5:36 am: |
|
You certainly have a serious claim. As to the exact status of your
claim, I would be afraid to guess why nothing has been done, or what
the best steps for you would be right now. But with as much time as has
passed, perhaps you need to act. If you have an attorney, sit down and
talk with him. If you do not, get one. Your situation is too complex to
handle on your own. And as to whether you might win, that depends on
all the facts and the medical evidence. Take care and good luck. |
TERRY HUGHES
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 20, 2002 - 2:26 pm: |
|
im a 29 year old with 2 herniated disk,i had
surgery on one disk.the other remains.
i took a emg,and it prooves i have a pinched
nerves in my back.i have had epederalls and
other shots.i have severe pain in my back,hip
and leg.the doctor said it might not ever get better.so i filled for ssd.i was denied,because
the docter told them it should be better
within a year.it has already been a year and three months.im on workers comp,they are
trying to find a job for me.the restrictions
are no prolonged stannding,sitting,squatting,
or lifting over thirty pounds.the docter
told me that there was nothing else he could do.
now he says he could try a fushion.
im still having a lot of pain.
do i qualify for disabiity. terry hughes |
TERRY HUGHES
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 20, 2002 - 2:45 pm: |
|
p.s i have a 15%disability
terry hughes |
Paul McChesney (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 - 5:04 pm: |
|
Terrry, you are young to get disability, but you have a serious
condition. You should definitely appeal your case; and since you have
been turned down once by yourself, you should get an attorney. Take
care and good luck. |
bill sims
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 02, 2002 - 3:20 am: |
|
i am 58 on workers comp since 3 01 had alaminoctomy to releve leg pain
4 01 did not work after another mri i had a spinal leak emg showed
pinched nerve disc o gram showed i needed a 3 level fusion had 3 level
fusion 10 01 3 metal cages and tituiam bars and screws then got
infection and back in surgery 11 01 been on antiobotics and must keep
taking them until my next surgery 11 02 i was cut in the front and back
for this surgery my doctor said i will have phicial therpry in 2003 i
still have severe leg and back pain applied for ssd with heari8ng
coming up soon with alg my dr siad i will never work again and will
problel give me 100% dis workers compi retired from my job 33 years
what are my chances of geting ssd |
bill sims
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 03, 2002 - 3:45 am: |
|
waiting for answer for bill sims question live in calif. high school
grad same job 33 years. sitting standing walking causes pain. dr said
my hardware must come out because that is causing my infection. have
two doctors, one for the infection one that did the surgery. he said if
i need more bone fused he will do that at time he takes bars out in oct
this year. he said i will have several months of phisical therepy but i
still wont be able to work again.the tituim cages stay in me i hope my
infection wont continue because of the cages i have been on two types
of antiobotis since dec 2001. |
Paul McChesney (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 20, 2002 - 10:07 am: |
|
Bill, your sitiuation sounds pretty severe. Of course it is impossible
to say what your medical records look like for sure, and for that
reason you need to get an attorney. Take care. |
Robert G.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 10:11 am: |
|
I have recently been dx. with degenerative disc disease. My cat. scan
shows hypertrophic facet and ligament changes at L3-4, a right
paracentral disc at L4-5, and a broad based disc at L5-S1. Bone scan
showed degenerative changes in my cervical and lumbar spine, knees and
feet.
I am a 48 year old male living in lynchburg virginia my
work history is over 25 years of heavy retail stock work, my education
is only 10th grade of high school. I am no longer able to lift anything
heavy or bend and twist, unable to sleep more than a couple of hours
due to pain and twitching off legs and back.
I think I might have
a worse injury but I am unable to see anymore DRs. for tests due to not
being able to afford them, I have applied for social security 3/01/03
but have not recieved any notice as of yet.
Please let me know if
You think I have a good case and also if you can refer me to a good
lawyer for my case. That you for your help.
Robert |
Paul McChesney (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2003 - 6:46 am: |
|
Robert, you certainly have a shot at a disability claim. I would
suggest looking in your local phone book and calling all of the
attorneys that seem to emphasize Social Security law, and hiring the
one that seems to talk the most sense. Take care and good luck. |
John P. Jones
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 10:52 am: |
|
I'm a 49 year old male. I had the disc at l4-l5 taken out in 1996. I am
having the disc at c4-c5 removed this week. My job requires that I be
able to lift 50-75lbs on a regular basis. I don't believe I can do this
anymore. My question at this time is: How do I (if I can) get listed as
disabled in SC and secondly, what retraining opportunities are
available in SC? |
Paul McChesney (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 6:49 pm: |
|
John, I doubt you will be able to do that sort of work once your disk
is removed. If you can transfer skills to a lighter job, of course that
would be best. If you cannot, the South Carolina Vocational
Rehabilitation Department would be a good first place to look for
retraining. While you are being retrained, or if it fails, a disability
claim might be something you must consider. |
robyn fitzgerald
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 5:11 pm: |
|
I am in the process of applying for social securtiy disability
benifits. I am 47yrs old female and a mother of two teenage children.
Twenty years ago I had a slip and fall injury and received a neck
fusion at c3-c4 for instibility. After surgery and phyical thearpy I
was awarded a 23% disability rating through SIIS.
I have
worked in the gaming industry full time for the past nine years. I am a
dealer and work with my hands and my math skills. I have no education
but a high school diploma. When I went through rehab 20 years ago I
quit school within 5 credits of graduating business school because I
was a mess phyically due to the 100 mile drive and the excellerated
time frame of the program. I went to business school because SIIS
thought that dealing was not a good thing for my neck. I worked for
less than a year ( 9 mo.) in a business setting and was fired for sick
time. I found that being at the typewriter and doing paper work very
hard on me just as school was.
I then had two miricle
children. When my children became 4 and 6 I went back to the casinos to
work full-time. My employer knew about my neck problems and were really
very good to me. I was able to be laid off during our slow times. I was
able to leave early when business allowed etc. The past 2-3 yrs. of my
employment I began to go down health wise pretty fast. I went to a
slower shift went down to 4 days along with the perks mentioned above .
In June of last year I had to quit work because of severe neck
pain. I had surgery in Oct. 2002. I had a total reconstruction of the
neck for c3-c6. The diagnosis was degenitive disk disease with severe
instibility. It is now ten months after surgery and my pain level has
not decreased. I have lost alot of movement in my neck. I cannot move
my neck up, down, around, to the left. I have about 75% movement to the
right. I have chronic neck pain, migraine headaches, pain in my
shoulders and my arms and hands. This numbness comes and goes depending
upon what I am doing. I have chronic fatigue due to my constant pain. I
have dissyness or vertigo if I lean to far forward. I spend 80% of my
time in bed due to my pain. I take narcotic painkillers for my pain and
antidepressents for my depression due to pain. Amoung other pain
medications
Since my social security disability claim would
be dependent upon my chronic pain which is so hard to access ( can't be
seen on x-ray, matter of degree and people taking atvantage of this or
frudulent claims). How will my clain be assesed?
Should I have an
attorney? Will they take into account my 23% SIIS disability rating?
How do I make clear to SSD that my pain is real and disabilling?
I
have been out of work for 13mo. I have gone through all my savings,
maxed out credit cards just to pay bills. Medilal bills have been left
unpaid. I would do anything to go back to work. I cannot drive anymore.
My life has been turned upside down. After working in so much pain for
so many years I am at a loss. Please help.
Pain in the Neck |
Paul McChesney (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 1:03 pm: |
|
How will my clain be assesed? Eventually, by an Administative Law Judge, or ALJ.
Should I have an attorney? I certainly would.
Will
they take into account my 23% SIIS disability rating? Maybe a little,
but more important than the doctors say the specific things you cannot
do, say why, and back their claims up with objective dats..
How
do I make clear to SSD that my pain is real and disabilling? Start by
getting your doctor to say so and to describe the effect it should have
on you. |
Craig
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 10:04 am: |
|
hi I am a 31 year old male with no high scool diploma only had two jobs
one fast food manager the other printing press operator I have been
injured on the job twice first injury I had nerve pain down right leg
was in alot of pain company doctors just said it was a muscle strain
MRI said I had two slightly bulging disk at L-2,L-3,andL-4,L-5 but not
pressing on nerve the lawyer said they wanted to give me 10% disability
for this the second injury caused alot of problems I have nerve pain in
both legs,muscles in back lock up to where I have to get help getting
out of bed,weakness in both legs to where they shake bad if I have to
stand long periods,numbness in feet and toes,hurts bad to sit long,and
sometimes it feels like I need to urinate real bad but don't. The
company doctor said that it was just a muscle strain but did no test
and said I was able to do regular job my doctor says that I have a
herniated disk at L-4,L-5.He told me that I needed to apply for my
disability because he knew of no job I will be able to do.I am going to
apply this week I have been out of work since February.I still have my
job but insurance carrier still has not made a decission to accept or
deny claim.Also doctor says that surgery will not help it.Do you think
I have a chance for disability? |
Paul McChesney (Admin)
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 717
Registered: 5-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 - 4:54 am: |
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