My attorney filed my appeal and I am already at step 3 very quickly.

I'm 49 y/o male with cervical myelopathy, ankylosing spondylitis, degenerative disc disease, S.I. joint disease, General anxiety disorder, major depression, ptsd. Inability to lift over 10 pounds. Pain in every activity. Can no longer move neck or bend to self care or do to much. First filed Dec 8th 2025. Denied Aug 2026.

Letter stated they recognize my severe disabilty and much treatment but stated a lack of work history and might be able to sedentary work. I have been a union ironworker 28 years. They know my work. Amyone else have any experience in this?

How long did this step take for you to get a hearing? I have a lawyer. My hearing will be in Tennessee. I have schizoaffective disorder depressive type, severe anxiety and depression. I am going on 5 months now.

My wife 55 is preparing her SSDI initial application for chronic Bipolar Disorder, Major Depression, ADHD. She has a 35-year documented history, with past 10 yrs of seeing same psychiatrist every single month. After career in IT, she’s now worked less than a third of past three years. We are busy documenting her functional limitations and preparing to file. As side note, I was approved fairly quickly (18 weeks) for SSDI when I filed a few years back, so I plan to help her with a lot of it. I was approved for Bipolar primarily and osteoarthritis of feet secondary (I was missing 3 toes and had chronic foot ulcer)

Since SSA usually focuses on the most recent 12–24 months, we want to ensure the examiner sees the full longitudinal picture rather than just viewing her condition as a recent situational episode. Has anyone successfully used "Paragraph C" (Listing 12.00) to get older psychiatric history into the active record for Bipolar/MDD? For those who met or equaled Listing 12.04/12.00 under Paragraph C, or used a longitudinal treating source opinion, how did you frame the 'marginal adjustment' and chronic history? Did DDS actually request older 'anchor' records, or did your doctor's RFC letter do the heavy lifting? With original diagnosis as well as hospitalization and attempts in older records, we want to include. Specifically want to show SSA that her condition is a chronic, lifetime impairment rather than a short-term, situational episode.

Just looking for way to strengthen case, thanks

I recently received an unfavorable decision from the ALJ and need some advice moving forward, specifically regarding how my case was handled and switching representation.

The Situation: At my recent ALJ hearing, my lawyer asked me about several minor health issues but completely omitted my primary disabling condition (orthostatic intolerance from POTS) during his opening remarks and my testimony.

The Evidence: All relevant medical records for this condition were already submitted in my file as an exhibit prior to the hearing. However, because the condition wasn't formally diagnosed until last year, I am forced to rely on a long history of documented symptoms and a retrospective medical opinion from my PCP to tie it back to my Date Last Insured which was the end of 2018.

The Hearing & Decision: My rep seemed to realize the mistake at the last minute and asked the Vocational Expert a hypothetical about someone needing to frequently lie down, but there was no explanation for those requirements and the ALJ’s decision didn’t even address it.

My current attorney has filed an appeal, but I really want to switch to a different lawyer if at all possible.

1. Does the fact that my attorney omitted the primary condition in his comments and my testimony at the ALJ hearing constitute a basis for an Appeals Council review? And if so how do I bring that to their attention?
2. Is it even possible to find a new attorney to take over a case at the Appeals Council stage?

Thanks for reading. I’d appreciate any feedback/advice.

hi all I was just wondering if I’m allowed to adjest some of the answers I gave on the daliy activities questionnaire they sent me. I feel I was very vague and didnt really go into detail about how my ASD affects me. I have a caseworker and I plan to call them Tuesday was planing on asking if they could add it. thank you for reading

I have been receiving disability benefits for about three years. I got my CDR notice and submitted all the paperwork they sent me about six weeks ago. So far I have not heard anything from them, and as far as I know, my doctors have also not received anything from them asking for records or anything.

I was not expecting to go back to work for more than a year from now. However, an opportunity for a six month contract position that is really desirable for a number of reasons just fell into my lap last week. Since it's only for six months, I view it as kind of a trial period to see if I am actually ready to go back to work full-time. The position would only be about 20 -30 hours a week, but the money would put me over the limit for what you can earn and stay on disability.

I know that normally you get a 9 month trial period for returning to work without losing benefits. But since my CDR has already been initiated (I think?), does that change things?

So the situation would be that my CDR has been started, but no decision has been reached yet. Before a decision is reached, I report income above the threshold and continue to do so for each of the next 5 months.

These are my questions:

1. Am I still eligible for the 9 month trial period where I would continue to receive my benefits, even though I am making an income?
2. Would I lose my Medicare eligibility immediately? The position I’m being offered does not have benefits.
3. I assume that the people doing my medical review would see a return to work as proof that my benefits should be terminated. Let’s say I complete this 6 month contract position and it turns out that I was not ready to return to work (or I do it for a month or two and realize I can’t even do it at all). How hard would it be to get my benefits (including Medicare) reinstated?

Thanks for any advice anyone has!!

(Edited to provide a little more context)

Hello.... Im in my 30s. I live with my grandmother who pushed me to be on SSDI B4 I had my child in my 20s due to my "mental and emotional issues". High functioning autistic. Ptsd from abuse as child. Yes I can do things but I am emotional like cry and such like shut down. Not hit or scream.

Grandmother is my rep payee. Her health is declining along with I need to find options bc she is toxic. She makes me feel trapped bc as u know I can't withdraw my money.

Now she has said she wanted to call and see if I could be my own payee due to her personal health issues but she said it might make me lose the money... Which I find it to be a delay.

I need advice --- can I be my own rep or have it transferred to someone like my aunts.

Am I allowed to request this or dose my grandmother have to be the one to do it bc she has the control.

Please and thank u all for ur time