Spare Time/Hobbies
- From: "Starvin'Marv" <marv002@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 16 Dec 2005 21:29:39 -0800
I do like to read. I enjoy playing my guitar and writing songs. But I
have one overwhelming passion:
I help other seniors (or any disabled person) to win their SS
disability cases without resorting to a lawyer. If your Doctor
certifies that you are unable to work and earn a living... and the
Doctor appointed by Social Security agrees, why on earth would you have
to pay a lawyer thousands of dollars to collect your Social Security
insurance?
Most folks fail to realize that Social Security IS an insurance policy.
You pay your premiums every single payday. In exchange you are insured
a percentage of your income if : (A) You reach retirement age an no
longer wish to work (B) That your dependant family will have income if
you die pre-maturely and (C) If you become physically unable to earn
income.
Why, you should ask yourself is A & B insurance almost always paid
automatically, but C (Disability) usually takes months or years and the
service of a lawyer to be paid. Does the government think your Doctor
is a crook. Do they think their own appointed Doctor is in collusion
with him to get you some undeserved money? Ridiculous.
My first experience with the unfairness of the system involved my own
father. Diagnosed with throat cancer at 48 yrs old, his Doctors
declared him disabled after two radical surgeries and chemo/radiation.
This was several years ago and the success rate of cancer survival was
almost zero. His weight was down to around 95 lbs. He applied for SS
disability (he had worked and paid his "premiums" all of his life) For
the nex two years he was hospitalized the majority of the time.
By the time the system, with its denials, reconsiderations, more
denials and finally a lawyer who charged a percentage of any past due
benefits (thousands of dollars) and after more than two years, he won
his just award of $ 648.00 / month...2 months before he died. He never
personally got to spend one penny of this money.
I'm sure some of you will jump on the "But" wagon and relate tales of
people you saw playing golf or running on the beach who are receiving
SS Disability. I've been there. I've thought the same thoughts you do.
But it has been my experience that if you delve a little further into
some of these people's lives, you might change your mind.
A good example: You might see someone sitting in a restaurant, drinking
coffee, laughing, talking and apparently trouble free. You didn't see
them this morning at 2 AM when they awoke wheezing, coughing and
looking for an inhaler so they could breathe. You don't realize that
they have to take at least two breathing treatments each day and that
if they walk down the hall with you, they'd have to stop a couple of
times to rest and catch their breath. They have COPD. If you want to
know what it's like, hold your nose and try breathing through a straw
in your mouth. But again, if you saw them in public briefly, you might
think they're perfectly healthy.
And yet, there are certain things they can do, and are encouraged by
their Doctor to do as many as possible. They can bowl, for instance.
Because it's one quick motion and they can sit down and catch their
breath. Bowling is much easier on them than taking the trash container
to the curb on trash day.
If you see someone bowling and your friend says, "How the hell does he
draw Social Security disability and still come bowling?" Do you agree.
You probably do.
Don't get me wrong. I know there are some who are milking the system.
Most of these are people who "had" a disability at one time and have
overcome the illness. It's pretty hard to fool a doctor into thinking
you're disabled. But SS does have follow ups and eventually this person
will be cut off.
But I look at it this way: If I take money from 10 of you and guarantee
you peace of mind in certain circumstances... And one of you tricks me
into paying something he didn't deserve... Do I make it extremely
difficult for you other nine to get what you deserve?...
Or do I go after the trickster and put my foot in his ass?
I just personally think it's a shame that deserving folks who have paid
and paid and paid have to beg for the benefits they paid for. And it's
even more disgraceful that they have to give up some of their
compensation for some stranger to stand before a judge and say "Your
Honor, this person deserves to receive his legal benefits from this
insurance policy."
If it takes hiring a lawyer to get what is legally yours, then it is a
LAW SUIT. And if it is a law suit, and you win your case...the
DEFENDANT (SS) should pay the legal costs! That has always been the
precendent in civil court.
I have never charged anyone one dime. I offer only personal advice. I
have helped 23 individuals win their award without a lawyer. It's just
like painting a picture or carving a piece of wood...my reward is to
step back and admire the work. Y'all think on it......Starvin'Marv
.
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