posted
I had an attorney that didn't really prepare for my case, and I had a gut feeling she wasn't preparing.
She didn't even read my records. If she had, she would have pushed me for better documentation and better testing, along with letters of support that had specific things listed.
And now, she won't give me any coaching. I re-applied, and during that conversation, they took my intent to appeal.
My attorney told me that my very limited teaching work would not hurt me, because she was going to write up a summary about how it's the only thing keeping me going.
There is nothing in the record suggesting she wrote anything about me, nor did she present anything supporting my case. She just sat there.
She then handled my kids' cases, which also came back unfavorable, but they aren't as sick as I am.
So. . do I fire her? I have heard it will cost me more. Do I give her another chance?
Do I get a new attorney for the "new" case and have her handle the appeal? She isn't doing anything except offerering to hire an expert who can write a narrative about the medical stuff.
Of course, this person knows NOTHING about lyme. The attorney does, but not much.
If I were the attorney, I would have done SO much more, and I expected that.
Hm.
Then, I thought I should go to the Federal Workforce Center and see if they could help me through their disability program.
However, they expect you to WANT TO WORK (who here doesn't WANT to work?) and to BE ABLE TO WORK. I doubt that is me.
Thoughts about that? Anyone gone through that?
Is there a VERY lyme friendly agency that could help me?
Posts: 564 | From Tick Hell | Registered: Oct 2008
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lymednva
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9098
posted
I tried to work part-time before accepting I could no longer work at all, and even though my principal indicated I could no longer work as a teacher, the state denied my disability retirement.
This also resulted in my SSDI start date being pushed back a year.
It sounds like you need to find a new attorney. Ask around among other patients if possible. That's how I found mine.
You need an attorney who knows where to send you to document your disabilities. For example, I had neuro-psych testing which shocked me with the results, but won my SSDI for me .
I would have never have known to do that, or where to go for it, if it were not for my attorney.
Has your case gotten to the Administrative Law Judge hearing yet? If not it's quite common to be denied in the initial stages.
I would suggest finding a new attorney and asking this one about working.
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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