[RRU96]

Go to check my mail today. Looking for maybe a birthday card or something like that.... Low and Behold. My wonderful birthday gift is my denial letter from Social Security.

Now I just need to figure out where to go from here. Do I get a lawyer, do I try to fight it myself. I am just so lost.

[kadesgirl09]

get a lawyer and appeal right of way... they always deny first time so try again. thats what I did and got it in a matter of months... if you appeal right away though instead of reapplying then you get paid from the beginning of the application. If you reapply then they go with the date of the latest application. Good luck!!

[leah0306]

well HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! I know how it feels getting that rejection letter.....omg it sucks....i was originally denied in 2006, im still in appeals process so....it can be tiresome but DO appeal, it depends where you live the expected time to get a decision from appeals court, i have an attorney(who does jack *****) but its up to you to get the ball rolling, wishing you a great day leah

[paulswife1]

THE DO DENY ALWAYS THE FIRST TIME. I DID IT ON MY OWN AND WAS GRANTED THE SECOND TIME. IT IS HARD TO DO ON YOUR OWN AND CAN BE VERY CONFUSING!!!!! THE LAWYER ROUTE WOULD BE MORE HELPFUL, JUST BE CAREFUL THEY DON'T TAKE TO MUCH OF WHAT YOU DESERVE. GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY

[Trippin2.0]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hope your day turns out to be awesome! XOXO

[vjdragonfly]

That sucks about the denial letter and on today of all days. I don't know much about SSDI but I hope things go better when you appeal. Happy birthday to you anyway.

[thinker22]

I got my denial letter in March of this year. I immediately (the next day) appealed online. In two months (May), I got the letter that I was considered disabled and would be receiving monthly payments plus all the back payments for the previous year when I initially became disabled. The key is your doctors letters. If you have a good relationship with them (your therapist and your p-doc) you can tell them that when they write their letters for the appeal to include the four areas of functioning (it's a site called marthachurchill or something like that...I think you've probably seen it posted around here somewhere) and how your illness prevents you from leading a productive, normal life in these key areas. My docs wrote great letters and that's the only reason I got it. Like everyone says, they do automatically deny almost everyone on the first try. I don't think they even read anything in your file. They just gather the information in case you appeal. Hold on. It's worth the fight.

[unico]

It's untrue to say you are always denied on your first try. I was accepted on my first try. However, many people do eventually get granted disability after sometimes a number of tries. Good luck!

[Anneinside]

Originally Posted by paulswife1

THE DO DENY ALWAYS THE FIRST TIME.

They don't always deny on the first time. They approved me the first time I applied. I had the support of my therapist, many hospitalizations, had been out on a leave from work twice (months at a time) and had been off work for one year before I applied.