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 Expert
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| Are there any experts on here or anyone who is familiar with the system? My father was recently denied and he is physically unable to work.
A little back history here, when he was 7 years old he was cut in two in a go cart accident. It broke his back, cut everything in the way of the seat belt except his aorta, vena cova and spinal cord but it did stretched his spinal cord several inches. An amazing team of doctors at Loma Linda were able to patch him back together by fusing his entire lumbar spine, leaving the support bars in place, removing several feet of large intestine and sewing him back together. He maintained a relatively normal life for a person who is 72% paralyzed in one leg and 28% in the other. Due to the accident, he did not grow correctly. His left leg is almost 3 inches shorter than his right and because of the way his feet break over he is not a candidate for a sole lift. The differences in leg length put excess torque and pressure on his hips and his developed arthritis. He has had 3 surgeries through out his lifetime to repair his feet. Because of the paralysis he can not use the tendons in his feet, basically his feet are stiff boards from the ankles down. In return this retracts the unused tendons causing them to pull and distort his feet. They literally open his foot, break his bones and realign them. He has a rod through his big toe to help keep the foot straight. I can't ever remember my father's feet looking like human feet. Because of the spinal injury and the trauma to the spinal cord, he had developed arachnoiditis which is a "disorder that causes chronic pain and neurological deficits and does not improve significantly with treatment" (I had to copy that from a web page, I couldn't explain it in my own words). There basically is no treatment and there are days that he is in excoriating pain. They just try to mask it with pharmaceuticals. He also suffers from deep vein thrombosis and suffers from terrible weekly migraines as well.
After working for the entirety of his adult life he just can't do it anymore. His doctor recommended he stop working last summer and he refused. In November he finally gave in and filed for disability. The doctor assured him that due to his current and deteriorating physical state there was no possible way of being denied. He got the denial letter from SDI today. The letter reads that after reviewing his medical records they have determined that he does not qualify.
It is my understanding that he can file an appeal but will need an attorney to do it. Is this the case? If it is, does anyone have recommendations?
I just don't understand the system. I don't understand how a once productive individual who has paid into SDI for 38 years could be denied when the tweaker next door who has never worked a day in his life was approved for a deteriorating back problem that was caused by frequent and mass narcotics use?
Edited by cyount2009 2016-03-17 2:30 PM
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Is your dad friendly with that guy? I ask because he obvioy knows how to work the system and maybe willing to show you how. My uncle by marriage could speak and understand Tex Mex better than most Mexicans here in South Texas. By listening to their conversations in the Dr's waiting room, he was able to get on disability when he started having to have dialysis. He said if he hadn't been able to understand them, he would have had a hard time getting it.
I have also heard that a lot of people get turned down at first, but do eventually succeed. I am sorry this is happening to you and your dad. I hope you get it resolved quickly. |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| GLP - 2016-03-17 2:37 PM
Is your dad friendly with that guy? I ask because he obvioy knows how to work the system and maybe willing to show you how. My uncle by marriage could speak and understand Tex Mex better than most Mexicans here in South Texas. By listening to their conversations in the Dr's waiting room, he was able to get on disability when he started having to have dialysis. He said if he hadn't been able to understand them, he would have had a hard time getting it.
I have also heard that a lot of people get turned down at first, but do eventually succeed. I am sorry this is happening to you and your dad. I hope you get it resolved quickly.
Yes actually, we are very good friends with his family and him as well. We grew up together, did a lot of running around together until he got so far into the drug scene I couldn't stand to be around him any more. He is now clean for the most part, thank the Lord. I just spent a good portion of my night at the ER with him because his father, a man I consider almost a second father, had a heart attack yesterday. That is an excellent suggestion. When things settle down with the family I will get in touch with him. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| That is good! I am glad you may have an ally!  |
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Posts: 5290
| I am not familiar with the system but wanted to say I am pretty sick of some of the politics my home state of CA has!!!! Absolutely ridiculous. Your dad clearly needs and has qualified for SDI. There is a gal I know who receives full and complete benefits because she used to get " Headaches" at work. She doesn't have to work, gets to ride her horses all the time, take kick boxing lessons, go to big barrel races every weekend etc. Just makes me SICK. no common sense what so ever. Best of luck to you and your deserving father. |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11490
Location: 31 lengths farms | I've heard it pretty well policy to be denied the first round. Having said that its BS in your dad's case. You see it all the time now days, 20's something year old "kids" with tatts and a cig hanging out of their mouth talking on an I-phone standing in line at Starbucks who are on SDI because what, they bent over one too many times to tie their own shoes when they were 12??? CA and all of America actually seems to have a hard time telling the difference between "can't work" and "won't work". Maddening. |
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Expert
Posts: 5290
| run n rate - 2016-03-17 1:06 PM
I've heard it pretty well policy to be denied the first round. Having said that its BS in your dad's case. You see it all the time now days, 20's something year old "kids" with tatts and a cig hanging out of their mouth talking on an I-phone standing in line at Starbucks who are on SDI because what, they bent over one too many times to tie their own shoes when they were 12??? CA and all of America actually seems to have a hard time telling the difference between "can't work" and "won't work". Maddening.
Agree!!!! I even found this gal a job at the county office at 15.00 an hour. SHe laughed at me and said she makes more on SDI that she would working. She skimps on hay quality and vet work for her horse cause she can't afford it on her monthly income BUT can haul, travel, enter races etc. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 695
Location: Windoming | They always deny it. Usually you have to go through it three or four times, then I guess they decide you were persistent enough to get it........... |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| Silly Filly - 2016-03-17 3:59 PM
They always deny it. Usually you have to go through it three or four times, then I guess they decide you were persistent enough to get it...........
Ugh! Do you know how long the process takes? He originally filed in November and just got the letter today, do all the appeals take that long? He has been with out income since that time and their savings account is getting thin. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | The system is a political joke. People that really need it don't get it and the bloodsuckers in society do. I know it takes multiple trys to get it. Good Luck.  |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | Nevertooold - 2016-03-17 4:28 PM The system is a political joke. People that really need it don't get it and the bloodsuckers in society do. I know it takes multiple trys to get it. Good Luck.
I agree |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 980
Location: Southwest Minnesota | I am in Minnesota so have no idea how California disability things work. However, I work in the healthcare field and think it seems to be pretty standard for your first request for disability to get denied. Re-file or appeal, whatever they call it. I honestly feel they do this to see if you really are serious about needing it. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease". |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 695
Location: Windoming | cyount2009 - 2016-03-17 3:07 PM Silly Filly - 2016-03-17 3:59 PM They always deny it. Usually you have to go through it three or four times, then I guess they decide you were persistent enough to get it........... Ugh! Do you know how long the process takes? He originally filed in November and just got the letter today, do all the appeals take that long? He has been with out income since that time and their savings account is getting thin.
They move very slowly. Can't really tell you how long it might take in CA. My husband applied for disability at least three times, over a year's period. |
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