Please Help! Do I Qualify 4 Disability - Disabilities Message Board

TonyMil88 · 02-29-2008, 12:05 AM

I am 19 years old. I have buergers disease (a progressive arterial disease)

I also have irregular blood pressure and heart rate due to the disease and now showing signs of depression and other psychological traumas due to the disabling disease ive come down with at such a young age.

Small tasks are becoming very difficult, I cannot stand or walk long distances without extreme pain. My legs and feet and hands randomly go numb and fall asleep alot. Im becoming weak, its hard to excercise. I used to be very athletic and outgoing, now I am just the opposite. I am broke, facing being kicked out of my home if I cannot help pay bills. I need some type of financial aid. This is America right? Do I qualify for disability benefits or are they going to just brush me off and turn their back on me. Anybody with advice please let me know...i can answer any questions to help your opinion

Thankyou

elizabeth62 · 02-29-2008, 12:40 AM

I'm so sorry that you are sick. Surely you must qualify for disability.
Maybe you can call government agencies where you live?

good luck to you.

BlueAtlas · 02-29-2008, 07:37 AM

You can look at the Social Security Disability website and see if your condition is listed. They have their guidelines posted. But a lot of conditions aren't officially listed, yet you can still be found disabled.

You might look up a lawyer in your yellow pages who specializes in getting SSD and call and chat with him on the phone. Describe your condition and ask if it sounds like you have a case. They only take cases they think they can win, since they don't get paid if they don't win for you. Call a couple of them. There's no charge to talk to them on the phone.

Emily

TonyMil88 · 02-29-2008, 12:40 PM

Thankyou for the advice. I have looked at the website and my condition is not listed because it is a rarely diagnosed disease. It takes alot of proof and testing to be diagnosed with it, and i have gone through all of them unfortunately. I havent spoke with a lawyer yet, I chatted with a rep from binder and binder through e-mail but they couldnt tell me much. I think I will take your advice and call a few lawyers in my area. How do I know if they specialize in SSD or do I just have to call and find out??? either way thankyou for your help.

RetiredDirector · 02-29-2008, 02:16 PM

Hi Tony....Sorry about your illness, it must be tough, especially for someone of your age and abilities prior to becoming sick.

Your post made me think of something, so I went through my folder I have from five years ago when I first was applying for SSD myself. BTW, I was able to gain approval on the first attempt, so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

From the booklet from Social Security, Publication #05-10029, January 2003, it states:"The number of work credits you need for disability benefits depends on your age when you became disabled. Generally you need 20 credits earned in the last 10 years ending with the year you became disabled. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits. The rules are as follows: Before age 24-You may qualify if you have six credits earned in the three-year period ending when your disability starts". It then goes on to explain about older workers.

Even though it doesn't look too good for someone of your age, being someone over 40 years your senior, I would advise you to somehow retain the best attorney in your area that handles Social Security Disability cases. A lot of them don't charge for the initial consultation, so go see them a see if they are willing to help you. The government has set it up, that when an attorney handles your case and wins, they are paid a set percentage of 25% of your award. Be ready to lose your initial application, but your attorney should then immediately appeal it. It may be a fairly long process for you, because of your age, but ask your attorney for advice on how you can "get by" until you hopefully receive a favorable decision from a Labor Judge.

Good luck to you, and I'm sure others here will also have some advise to help you in what you can do.