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One Legged Woman Not Disabled – SSA.

From WTOL11, Toledo:[1]

WEST TOLEDO — She can’t walk. She can’t drive. She says she can’t even work. Now her only source of income has been taken away, and she can’t afford to live.

In desperate need of help, this west Toledo woman is turning to Call 11 for Action Problem Solver Mika Highsmith.

Janice Turner relies on wheels to get around. She explains, “I have fibromyalgia. I have a bulging disk.”

She only has one leg. “A guy I’d known for years pushed me out of truck and ran over me because I wouldn’t give him any money,” she says. The tragic incident changed her life forever. She hasn’t worked in the last seven years.

Turner was getting by on social security benefits, which were a little more than 600 dollars a month. But this past November, Turner got a letter saying it was her last check. And the reason? “They said because I wasn’t disabled,” she tells News 11.

Turner says she re-applied immediately, but has yet to get an answer. “I got a letter saying I’d hear something within 100 days. It’s been five months.”

Now this 52-year-old woman who has already lost so much is about to lose everything. “I’m four months behind on rent. My light bill is 400 dollars. They’re about to turn off my phone on the 16.”

Turner adds, “I want my social security. I want my life back — what’s left of it. It’s bad enough to be in pain, but to be in pain and be stressed out like this. I can’t handle it.”

Problem Solver Highsmith spoke with a rep from social security. She said you have to be re-certified every one, three or five years.

When it’s your turn you’ll get a letter in the mail. If you’re denied, you have ten days to file an appeal for payment continuation. After that, you have 60 days to make an appeal without pay.

In this case, the rep says she can’t give specifics due to privacy laws, but says she looking into the situation.

It poses the question: how many legs do you need to lose before the SSA recognizes you’re disabled? Are they, perhaps, afraid Ms Turner may have grown a new one since she was last ‘certified’?

From KIDK3 in Idaho Falls:[2]

“This is 45-year-old Susan Mattson. She’s worked for over 27 years at Basic American Foods in Shelly. Susan’s survived two aneurysms and several seizures.
But she may soon loose her home and a farm that’s been in the family for 137 years.

Susan Mattson: “The week of my brain aneurysm I had almost 100 thousand dollars saved and 55 thousand dollars worth of cattle. The cattle are gone and the savings is almost gone.”

Her medical conditions have cost her almost everything she has, not to mention her health.

She’s been turned down for Social Security disability three times now and has filed for a federal judge to hear her appeal. The one-time athlete has never taken advantage of the system. And she has one question.

Susan Mattson: “Why do I continue to be denied government disability? Why? I want someone to tell me why.”

One doctor has sent letters and medical records to the government on her behalf since 2006.

Dr. William Domarad: “I see her for an ongoing neurological condition for which she takes medicines every day.”

Susan also suffers from chronic rheumatoid arthritis and has had hip replacement surgery twice.
Dr. William Domarad: “I believe that she should qualify for disability. I believe that she’s disabled.”

Susan has survived having her right hip replaced twice, a broken back and a many other injuries.

She continues work full-time at the potato processing plant and looks forward to the day when she’ll get an answer to her question.

Social Security Officials would not comment on her case.”

Susan obviously has no chance of receiving disability benefit, after all she still has two legs.

Susan Mattson: “An average day for me is very very painful, depressing and most of all I hate my government.”

Susan, rest assured, the whole world hates your government.

[1] “Social security says one-legged woman isn’t disabled”, WTOL, April 2nd, 2008.

[2] “One Woman’s Fight”, KIDK3, April 4th, 2008.

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7 Replies to “One Legged Woman Not Disabled – SSA.”

  1. I can understand, completely, why the one legged lady will have to apply to be re-certified every one three or five years, R.J. Can’t you?

    I mean, if they didn’t keep regular tabs on people with one (or no legs), how would they know if new one’s had suddenly sprouted since the previous award – and not been declared by the benefit claimants?

    See? They’re just protecting honest taxpayers money.

    (/sarcasm)

  2. It is criminal and scandalous to put these poor people through these torturous hoops in the hope of getting some relief. Financial relief should be the least of their concerns. The ongoing struggle for fairness impedes both wellness and wellbeing.
    The test of a true civilization is in how it treats the poorest and sickest of its citizens and the U.S. fails on so many levels. It has to, with every dollar going to the industrial military complex.
    It boils down to respect again, doesn’t it. The people who perpetrate Abu Ghraib have no respect for anybody, least of all their own.
    XO
    WWW

  3. Let’s get this damned Republican insensitive adminstration out of office quick-sharp! I don’t really want to vote for Obama but if the worst comes to the worst and I have to do so to get rid of the Repugnants I’ll do so.

  4. I know that you have little or no control over the advertisements on your site, but isn’t it amazing how many companies are in the business of “helping” people get their disability approved by SSA? Five of them have already found your site and its postings re this issue. It has to be a fairly common problem.

    You wonder how long military contractors have to wait for their money.

    It is a sickening commentary on who we have become.

  5. TOB – it’s all about protecting honest taxpayer’s money alright – so they can rob it to fight their damn wars.

    WWW – respect for others, Americans or otherwise, is in short supply in this country. The media spreads a thin veneer of respectability over such matters, but underneath few care until it effects them personally. Then, they howl.

    Twilight – if I were a betting man I’d have ten bob each way with you that little changes whoever next gets to sit in the Oval Office.

    Flimsy – decidedly not.

    Al – yes, the hyenas gather wherever there are pickings. Lawyers are up there with the rest. Some get rich solely from social security cases – paid, not by the government, but from the monies awarded to the claimant.

    On the subject of adverts, it is possible to create a listing with Google of all the sites one doesn’t wish to advertise, but it is so laborious (adding one site at a time) that I gave up and just added the disclaimer on the blog. It’s amazing how, whatever I write, the ads that appear generally advertise exactly what I’m condemning!

  6. It is unfortunate this woman lost her SSDI benefit however we do not have all of the facts. Sure this looks deplorable on the surface and this could very well be a legitamate issue. One of the factors SSA considers is whether one has the ability to achieve SGA (Substantial Gainful Activity). Currently SGA is defined as employment activity that results in gross earnings of $940 a month or more for non-blind individuals. One’s physical/psychological condition, while challegning, does not always limit one’s ability to achieve SGA. For example, Christopher Reeve may not have been eligible for SSDI despite his full paralysis as one might argue that he had the ability to earn income at or above SGA level. This could have been derived from speaking engagements, acting, consulting or other activities for which he was paid. I am not saying this is right, just one of those systemic issues that may need to be changed.

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