How Can I Stay Afloat While Waiting for Social Security Disability Benefits?

Hi my name is Titshaun I'm legally blind in my right eye and I have limited sight in my left eye I suffer with diabetes high blood pressure anxiety and depression I have migraine headaches and mild degenerate muscle decay in my right hip and leg I applied for disability in June I went to see the disability doctor I also let disability know when I spoke to them that I still work and I can't quit until a decision is made I can't afford to be homeless I have no where to go I've been on my own since 14 it's hard because I am being told that my case is still pending what can I do

Did you sue anyone's ins company at all? Because somebody should be held accountable for the accident.

I'm sorry to hear about the struggle you are going through. Have you spoken to social services? They have many programs that may be helpful. Food pantries through your church or township are also available and emergency housing. My advice to you is follow the path the lord put you on he will show you the way. Trust in him even when you don't understand. God Bless

I am so sorry for your circumstances. I am the same boat. I'm a widow, 58 struggling with bills etc...I was injured at work and waiting for a decision from SSD and no income. It's scary!

Cathy,
I hope this reaches you sooner than later. If you had car ins. of your own at the time of the accident you can sue them. Little known fact that your ins. company doesn't give up all that easy is that they have about 25k sitting there for you in case of a situation such as this pops up. You can have a lawyer do it for you, but they will take the customary 33 percent. Or, I believe, you can walk in and get it yourself. Please check into it and be prepared for a fight. Like all of our great institutions of this country, they love taking our money but become a little resistant to coughing it up when the time comes to cover their end of the bargain. Seems like a trend from the Government to the ins. companies. I think a common drug dealer has better business ethics and is more trustworthy than this whole system. I wish you all the luck and keep up the fight.

Hi Cathy, I am so sorry to hear what has happened to you. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Have you hired a personal injury attorney, if not I advise you to get one before the statue of limitations run out. They can go after the persons' auto insurance who hit you. Please keep us posted and God Bless You.

Cathy try and hang in there, i am in current situation, have disc problems, surgery made it worse, it's been 4 years without money, worked in soda business 24 years straight, I'm about to lose my house in September due to back taxes, very suicidal as of late, I never dreamed that this can happen to people in America who paid into Social security for over 20 years, someone has to step in and stop these atrocities, an alj who has no background in medicine, in my case she admitted she never even read my reports, not to mention I waited 2 full years for my hearing, to have people losing evythng they own is just ashame. If I end up homeless I just can't see me continuing on, what do I tell my grandchildren, all I want Is what I paid into it for 24 years, good luck Cathy I hope you live a long happy life

Wow, I am sorry to hear your situation, mine hasn't got to that point yet as I have my house on the market, can't work, no money, staying with my sister, came here from 400 miles away to take a job only to lose it 6 weeks later, lost 2 of my 4 cats, my life is upside down too, thank GOD I have no children ...only my 2 cats.... Pray to GOD and trust him 101% and see what he does for you...I know my day will come too, this too shall pass. I will pray for you and your family...

So sorry to hear about your situation Cathy. You've been given some good advice, but some of it isn't 100% accurate. I was in an accident back in 2013 that left me with lower back issues, so I'm VERY familiar with the whole process. Firstly, at this point the deadline for filing a personal injury suit has definitely passed, so unfortunately in that regard to my knowledge there's nothing you can do, but I recommend calling some personal injury attorneys just to be sure. Secondly, as far as insurance is concerned, your insurance would give you a difficult time in covering anything since you were in a freind's car at the time. Your friend's insurance is who you should get in contact with, as insurance coverages have amounts for passenger coverage. Had you been in your vehicle, that would be entirely different, it would have been a no-fault claim provided that evidence indicated that the person who hit would was entirely at fault. However, no-fault works on a state by state basis so if that were the case, your insurance company may not even provide no fault coverage.

I'm very sorry for the terrible things that have happened to u I can't believe u been waiting so long if I get denied for a second time myself I'm not going any further without a lawyer which I've already been acquiring lawyers with high payout ratios (they generally won't take U if they think U'll be told to hit the brick. I've been waiting a year unfortunately I didn't know how this process works and was denied in Dec 2016 it's then I decided that I needed to help myself and learn as best I could (I'm not the same person I was the day before September 1, Labor Day 2016) I'm on my 1st appeal having done so Jan 2017. I originally applied immediately after being released from the hospital almost 2wks after my accident. It was after being denied I learned that nearly everyone is denied on initial claims. And even if ur the select few who breeze rite threw. During appeal I got a call, 1st time anyone contacted me about my claim, yet she proceeded to ask me questions about a condition I'd had for years previous to my accident I had listed all of my conditions which were listed as order of importance as to why I can't return to work and although I had previously learned to function, work and pay taxes just like everyone else who earns a paycheck. The drastic holt my existence changed my personality I truly felt/feel like I'm a prisoner in my own head. But anyway she says "So when a SSD representative spoke with u before u were denied and u told him that this specific condition wasn't preventing u from being able to 'find gainful employment' do u think that's changed since u spoke with him" I didn't talk to anyone ever and I never would've said that specific condition was no problem!! It's a big problem I am physically disabled lucky to walk at all on top of my injuries and every other Dr visit (@every 2wks) He finds some other conditions that have taken over me I can't leave my house on my own and even with someone I try to get out of leaving n my Dr apt win out most of the time (I've rescheduled A LOT of apt's) I can't go to the ER without panicking n feeling like if I go I won't come back! Now for the most part I am able to see the problem n I can almost
See why some think I'm being crazy putting myself in higher danger possibly needing treatment to survive if ur going to the hospital it's cuz u already feel that ur life had a probability of being forever altered for whatever reason. I can't really go there's been numerous times I should have gone n feel like I've been lucky that way but luck doesn't last. The 1 maybe 2 times I had gone to the ER I went under complete distress n only after my boyfriend got my adult children involved n gave me no option thankfully I survived only to end up getting taken out by the SSD process!! They also conveniently leave out the 5mos waiting period for EVRYONE! At which time u receive $0 benefits if ur approved before the 5mos mark then ur payment will start the beginning of the month following ur 5th mos. And if ur part of over 2/3's % of claim applicants who go much further then that 5mos mark ur payment doesn't start to accumulate till the month following that. When/If ur approved u receive retro only up to the 6th month! They make it nearly impossible to get better in any way physical or mental if we are too busy trying not to loose everything we worked our butts off our hole lives for while people who have had $0 investment into SS and has no education (by their choice instead unable to get up that early for anything they quit school) and their approved ok lets tell our kids laziness pays I didn't bother with this program and yet I still received a letter from my denial basically saying I'm to educated to receive SSD!! Obviously I'm not smart enough to have prepared for such a life altering emergency not smart enough to have money put away for just this reason! Instead all of my bills go unpaid my credit I worked hard for goes down the crapper! We can't heal physically when our mental health fails n we're trying to stop the black hole sucking ur life inside it!! Don't they realize by allowing us to focus more on our conditions n healing them then maybe they will be able to return to some kind of employment at some point in life! I'm sry I tend to ramble but I can't believe u have waited for 4yrs!! I would've called a lawyer before 2yrs. I just can't understand why it's the people who grow up raised to work for what u want that nothing comes free. That's how I was raised why is it we get punished for our health issues!!! Agn I'm sry I'll say goodbye n good luck on your quest

I'm facing this same struggle I don't know where to turn my lawyer told me their are people living in the woods waiting for disability... apparently that's accepted for them I have an 8 year old limited family. And trying to fight this battle and make my son secure. Giving up is an option... but don't want to but might need to

GET AN LAWYER ASAP. YOU WILL GET 4YRS OF BACK PAY

Did you get an attorney?

I was doing research on waiting for disability and came across this posy. I know it's been awhile, but just wanted you to know that your story struck a chord and I am praying for you and your children. Hopefully y ou habe since received your benefits, and that God will continue to give y ou the strength to ensure. God speed!

I feel the same way. I have no money nothing. My mom has been very sick all my life. She had a disability case pending since 2003! They told her she had a 5% chance to live. I have MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, MAJOR DEPRESSION, MAJOR ANXIETY. I lost so much weight so to not having food to eat. I was born in this country and have payed my taxes yet I have been denied food stamps, disability, Medicaid etc. I had a social worker from a supposed nonprofit clinic tell me while I was blind in one eye IM SORRY BUT THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO HELP YOU. I can't work because I'm sick and I won't have a chance at my third time applying for disability but if I wait on disability which seems like next to never, I'll never survive. America is one messed up place!

Unbelievable that someone else knows exactly how we feel no body cares the drug addicts get it right away while u fight to survive day to day do what u worked for my husband been fighting almost 20 years still fighting what to do

Hi there! You have kids so you can’t give up! Trust me I still struggle with feelings of hopelessness & helplessness. I wonder if you got any money from the car accident and if not, could you sue now since it’s been an on going process? TANF and food stamps are an option. It’s not anything to feel shame about. You paid into that as well!! You could look into local food banks or food pantries. They will give you free food. Rent out a room in your house. Look online for jobs you could possibly do from home. Depending on how limited you are, perhaps you could watch kids in your home. There are programs to help with the cost of medications. I’m not sure if that’s an issue. Go on your state’s gov website and look for social services. Call and ask about programs. It can be very hard because there are programs out there but I swear they make it impossible to find out about. My theory on disability is that they want to force ppl into being so desperate they go back to work, so they can deny them. It’s a system that in theory is designed to help those who cannot work but in reality they make it so hard. What’s crazy is I know ppl who are on disability and they could easily work. It’s very hard to know how they pick and choose.
I work with a pain management dr and part of their treatment is offering a therapist who specializes in helping ppl dealing with chronic pain. Please make it a priority to see someone to talk about how you are feeling. There are support groups as well. How you feel is normal but chronic pain/disability is isolating. You must have a strong support system! I have professionals, friends and family and I still have very low days.
I wish you all the best!! Remember this too shall pass. Eventually, you’ll look back on this time as a great time of growth. Keep on top of them. Maybe look into a disability advocate? Facebook probably has some sort of support group where you can connect with ppl. You may learn things these govt employees would never tell you.