Rachel,
I can understand your anger and frustration about your Mother not receiving disability for having brain cancer!! I want to express first, how sorry I am about her death. I have know about 4/5 people who died this way and it is not an easy death. I hope you have the time to say all you needed to her/ and her to you. One..he was in his forties and could not remember that the young boys 3/5 yrs old, were his sons. He just get so angry at the noise they made. That was saddest one....weird part he did know who his wife was to the end.
But all of these people were put on disability immediately....first through state(the ones i know about) than when state ran out which was normally a year, they went on SSI, Federal Government Social Security Insurance.
If your Mother was an State worker than usually States have their own disability plan ....it is easy to know. If she did not pay into SSI on her paycheck but some state plan than explain why she try for state completely. BUT if you Mother worked enough hours paying into SSI she could actually try for both. Or could have....
Something does not add up here.....usually your Mother's Doctors and her place of employment would just send in documentation of her illness and that she would be off ...here in CA is minimum of 6 weeks. Than here..and i know states can be different but more often than not they are similar ....after a year she would go on SSI and that would be permanently.
I do not know how long ago it was she died....but you might check with her employer and Doctor what happen on their end. Or even your social worker friend....or those that help you with your son might know. I am sure you could just call state dept and ask them what was needed and what went wrong. Reason is...if it was all from state....than she could have money owed her for settlement.
Also, if your father is still alive and if she had any other children that are under 18 they should call federal SSI and apply for survivor benefits. The kids will get it until they turn 18....and not sure how long your father willl but my sister in law got when my brother died at age 34 and is still getting it ...she is 60. So really has helped her out.
Yes...if she worked only for state and never paid into it than it might not apply to her....or some other rule i do not know about but it sure would not hurt to ask...just online question even...though i think a call would be much better.
Plus...those people who are just the first line....i only had nice ones who really tried hard to help me out. I had no idea about all the benefits if your income was low enough. SO i hope you try and help your father...or siblings if they qualify.
As to collecting disability.....i never wanted to either. I think you should do like i did when I finally had not choice about it. I needed the money period. I hired someone to do all for me. Considering how sick we are....once we get to point that you must be to win....last thing you need is more stress...so apply. It is worth the 5% they take out of your settlement. SSI will give you list of people in your area.....i strongly suggest hire someone who use to work for them if one is available. That is what i did and won faster than anyone i know or even read about.
Also....personally....i would say work as long as you can even if it is only 1 day per week....it helps so much with your self esteem. I had always supported myself since i was 18. I made enough even when i was married that i could support myself even at part time hours and it made me feel proud of myself. I felt proud that i did not cave in like some other women I knew whom as soon as they got diagnosed filed. But than...i was not walking in their shoes so who knows what else was going on in their lives...my point is i am no position to judge them.
YES...i do know of a very good friend who got it....and he should not have received it. If he claims his shoulder was no longer useful...than how come he can row his fly fishing boat that holds about 8 people all day on the river?
Or he can water ski all day too.....and get this...he may have to take 1 otc motrin!! that is what made me laugh. I been in so much pain that 1 otc motrin would do nothing!!
Plus this guy..can write environmental impact reports...be science teacher..do a lot..with out any use of that shoulder.
So i agree with you totally....disability should not be abused. It is there for people who are genuinely sick....sick enough where they cannot even sit and answer phones for a living. The guy above.the reason he left his job is because it was that..or be fired and charged with assaulting another employee. He hit another employee who made him mad! Yes..i told him i think he should not have got it...and he got it first time he applied which is about unheard of now days! He was about 55 so that helped...older you are easier it is to get it.
But on the other hand, I feel enough shame as it is to have to need it. I know i should not feel shame but to always be able to support oneself than have it gone...well it is hard to deal with at least for me. Plus, with all the mean stuff politicians who are against universal health care say....I told my husband once that feel like they like us to die off since we are just a slug on society in their eyes. He said they do....look at how hard they fight it. Plus he said that some of the groups they belong to...when you read their agenda it might as well say just take us out and shoot us to end all the expense we are on society.
So like that guy said to Astrid's husband....I do not know about England...but here I do think that it is great number of people, politicians ...wealthy who do really feel we are slugs on society. I wish it was not true....but all they care about is money and profits..
I know you did not mean that way...you were frustrated...and sad about your mother. OH...legally...the Judge could not give it to your mother because she had died. I was just telling my husband your story. But he agrees....that does not mean that she may not still qualify for money while she was alive and any settlement. I Know that won't make you feel any better....but maybe the money can help those she loved that now do need it.
So i hope when time comes....you do apply for it...just have someone help you with it! Again..i am so sorry about your Mother and really hope you had the time you needed with her to say all you wished. take care...loree
I just wanted to make VERY clear I DO NOT collect disability, because I would rather drop dead before I
have to fight Michigans system...The Social Worker is from a friend...I work ALL day on saturdays ONLY
to pay my Mortgage, 4 saturdays pays mortgage, husband helps with rest....Just doing a Saturday puts me
in bed for a few days...My Mom died of brain tumor and court said "she can work" , she was in a coma,we went back and the Judge said"your mom can work", I stood up and said my Mother is Dead your Honor....