Hello all,

How do you go about getting a copy of your disability file the SS office has?
Also, what should it contain?
I've applied and I'm awaiting a hearing so I have been denied twice.
Thanks,
Cindy

unfortunetly,from my experience and what i have also read,you,yourself simply cannot obtain that info,BUT if you have a lawyer working for you,they can. i know my lawyer obtained my file when i hired one after being denied the first go round. i do believe that the lawyer angle would really be the only real shot at even getting close to your SSD file. unless something has changed since 03-04,then i do think you may be out of luck there. marcia

I asked for a cd of all the info in my file. I signed a request form for it and it was mailed to me just a few days later. It has all the records from my doctors, all the letters they sent me, scanned copies of all the forms I've filled out, and all the bogus conclusions their specialists have come to regarding my case.

You should be able to request it from your local SS office.

:wave: Emily

hey blue, just how long ago did you actually do that? i know when i was in the process from hell,i was told and it also stated on their website that you,yourself just could not obtain that info,even if you were denied the first go round. ended up getting all my records myself but man i wanted to KNOW exactly was in that file back then. i wonder if i could still get it? i did get a copy of the phsyc docs eval on me from my primary but that was it. i really think getting that one eval by their doc really really helped in me getting it too. just confirmed my depression and also reDxed me with severe recurrent depression from HIM,their doc. interesting how times change with a couple of years.thanks for the info blue. Marcia

It was recent, Marcia. Just like you suggested, things have changed since you went through it back in '03-'04. I guess with everything being online now, they send all the files to their own various offices and so-called specialists through cyberspace, so it's not so time consuming anymore to burn a cd. I got mine about a month ago. They didn't even bat an eye when I asked for it.

:wave: Emily

Hi Emily I was just curious on how accurate is the information in your file? I know when I finally got my letter for the "on the record" decision that some of the quotes that were made were not correct but I ended up getting my Favorable decision so I didn't have to fight them.

I was very lucky that the Judge that reviewed my record was very fair and stated that if I had really been trying to take advantage of the system why did I not do it 4 years previous with my first surgery. Like everyone here I really didn't want to quit my job because I had a very good income and I loved my job but I was physically unable to do it or anything any more.

Take care
Linda

There were some things that were incorrect, like I told the woman on the phone that I need to lie down during the day and she wrote that I need to go to sleep. That's different! Laying down for pain and laying down for sleepiness are two different issues. There are a number of things like that, plus just their continuous statements that my problem is lower back pain, rather than what I keep documenting: upper, mid, and lower back pain. And I had one doctor who apparently uses a check off system and checked off "no back pain" when that's what I was complaining about! A few doctors did things like that. I was not at all surprised to see which doctors did their documenting sloppily. The ones who keep patients waiting for a hour or more were inaccurate. The ones who have a wait time of only 5-10 minutes tended to be very accurate and detailed.

But I'm not giving up! I hope I get as good a judge as you did!

:wave: Emily

Emily thanks for the information and I hope you get an understanding judge also like I was blessed with. I know what you mean when they twist the words and it is not really what was said. Good luck and you know I am praying for you and you are in my thoughts daily.

Take Care
Linda:angel:

Thanks, Linda! I was going to say you have no idea how much that means to me, but I think you DO know!

I appreciate your prayers so much, dear spine sister!

:wave: Emily

Oh dear Emily I sure do understand and you just hang in there because I really feel things will work out for you.

Gentle Hugs Spine Sister
Linda:angel: