I filed for SSDI about 3 years ago and was denied. I was going to retain an attorney but had my surgery and desperately went back to work. I needed the $$$$. The surgery was a fusion and worked. I have had pain off and on since then, lately have had severe problems and now have a disc in neck that is causing debilitating neck and head pain. I also have moderate/severe sleep apnea and that has a host of problems including severe depression.

Anyway, I have went thru 2 jobs and my last/current job is where I ended up hurting my back again....from sitting in front of a comp with a headset on for 7 hrs almost straight...one fifteen min break. I started with nerve pain and burning in buttocks, thighs, groin and sciatic left leg, behind knee and in foot. and severe muscle spasms, then the head pain started a yr and half ago and last fall I had carpal tunnel surgery in both hands. My MRI for back is ok...for neck I do have a disc that doc believes may be causing this head pain... I have appt for pain dr on feb 6th. I'm taking everything with me, all my films and filled out pprwork. My problem is "I believe" that having different doctors for each ailment is going to hurt me. Each ailment individually by each doc really isnt a true reason for disability. However, combined they should be.

Anyway, I'm getting off track here. I have been off of work since right before Christmas 2006. So only about 1 1/2 month. I know that I will get the test to show that something is causing this back pain...I hope anyway. But do I have to wait 6 months to file for SSDI? Everywhere seems to say you can file after 6 months of being disabled. It seems like I should do it now since the waiting period seems to be ongoing. I mean by the time they get to me it will certainly be over 6 months?

You can file a claim if you.....

"are unable to work for a year or more because of a disability."

No mention of a waiting period. :confused:
and my last/current job is where I ended up hurting my back again
Did you also file a Workers Comp Claim? If not why not? :confused:

Mz. Migraine,:wave:

Thanks for the response. I can't remember exactly where I read this about 6 months, so Im heading back to the SS website and just filing.

My back issues started in 1993 and have basically continued since, I have had 2 surgeries. My job is a sit down job if you can believe that. However, sitting for 7 hours a day doesnt seem to agree with my back.. I do call center cust svc. and you are constantly observed...all calls recorded and I have to make a quota sothere is no down time...like to walk around or something. So there was never an "accident" per say. I have never filed WC claims...I have always preferred to deal with the insurance. I do have std and ltd.

there was never an "accident" per say.
Sleuthie, I am no expert on WC claims however, I do believe as long as the *injury* is work related/happened on the job, you can file a claim. If I were you, I would check into it.

The injury does not necessarly have to be caused by an accident I do not believe! :confused:

Isn't a little late for me to do that now? I mean I have been off of work since before Christmas. Wouldn't they question my late intentions? I gotta tell ya, I'm pretty stupid about that type of thing but whatever I can do, I WILL do. Unfortunately "they" don't tell you this type of thing when everything initially happened.

BTW...I was reading some old posts and you wrote that you claimed unemployment until your SSDI came thru. Just out of curiosity...How did you do that? Don't you have to file a voucher every week stating that you are ready and willing to work. Basically don't you have to be 'able to work' to file unemployment?

Thanks for all your info. Anything will help during the waiting period. I also have to pay back support for a little while longer so I really need to watch my P's and Q's.:rolleyes:

Isn't a little late for me to do that now? I mean I have been off of work since before Christmas. Wouldn't they question my late intentions?
I don't know. :confused:
Reason why I stated you need to look into it. Ask your supervisor and/or manager.
If they question your "late intentions" just tell them you didn't know you were entitled to a WC claim! :)
BTW...I was reading some old posts and you wrote that you claimed unemployment until your SSDI came thru. Just out of curiosity...How did you do that? Don't you have to file a voucher every week stating that you are ready and willing to work. Basically don't you have to be 'able to work' to file unemployment?
My state had an extremely high unemployment rate at the time I initally filed for SSDI. After I initially filed for UE at their office, everything else was done over the phone on their automated system. NJ has a *paperless* UE system. My $$$ was directly deposited into my account.

I didn't file for SSDI until 6 months after I filed for UE because I didn't know I could file for my type of disability.

You must understand each state is handled differently when it comes to ALJ hearings at the Judges discretion.
Because my state was severly backlogged, 3-4 years in handling SSD claims and had a high unemployment rate certain things were *waived*. :D

Thanks Ms Migraine.:wave:

I may ck with my supervisor about the WC claims.

You definitely shed some light on the UE issues. Here in Indiana, we have to go out weekly and apply for a certain amt of jobs then turn in voucher if you want to be pd. I can definitely see starting out not knowing if you're disabled or not especially with the different types of jobs out there. I don't think most of us are sure if we're intitled to disability or not and is usually the farthest thing from our minds at the time, we just want to SURVIVE.:blob_fire

I will see you around the posts since I post in different rooms. I too have headaches. All on one side of my head starting at the base of my neck. They are debilitating to say the least. They just creeped up one day and nothing over the counter touched them. They treated with migraine meds and that didnt work. I take tramadol and it has been a life saver for them. It knocks it down to bearable anyway and sometimes the headaches break thru anyway. But is definitely much better than the 24/7 i was having.

Take care and thanks again.

I'm on temporary disability for my back. I've been out of work since the Sept. surgery. I assume if I can't go back to work I would continue to receive that until permanent disability kicks in. I think of myself as fairly intelligent but the social security website made me nuts. They don't actully say anything clearly in my opinion. I am filing a workman comp claim for my elbow. Work did not agree it was caused by my poor workstation. So I went to an attorney and have a comp lawsuit going. He gets paid whatever the judge decides. I don't pay him a thing. It's a bit of a nightmare with the insurance etc. I need elbow surgery but I'm not having it until I am sure someone is paying for it.

BTW...I was reading some old posts and you wrote that you claimed unemployment until your SSDI came thru. Just out of curiosity...How did you do that? Don't you have to file a voucher every week stating that you are ready and willing to work. Basically don't you have to be 'able to work' to file unemployment?

:

its been a while, but i'll put my 2cents in anyhow :)
my temp disability gets extended. i just got it extended thru the doctor, and when they do that, you just get your check automatically mailed until its time for your disability to be extended again. if that is the case, you check yes/no on the form if you are disabled, and then with your final check they ssend you a form for the doctor to fill out.