This has absolutely nothing to do with real estate but I need to blow off some steam.
First of all I am a disabled American veteran. Have been for over 45 years now so dealing with the VA has been a real treat. If you've ever been in the service then you know how frustrating the "hurry up and wait" program can be.
But now I have to deal with Social Security and that, my friends, is a whole new ball game!
Seventeen months ago I applied for Social Security Disability after I blew out my left knee and couldn't work. I submitted all the required paperwork and also applied for Social Security benefits due to my service related diability through the VA. I waited until I was 62 just to satisfy the Social Security retirement qualifications.
Well, after a year, Social Security has declined benefits for the third time, for my service related disability, and totally disregarded my disabled left knee as if it wasn't there. They never even accounted for that problem and never addressed it in any of their letters to me. Now I have to hire an attorney to sue the government to get the benefits that I've paid for for the last 45 years. The attorney bill will be 1/3rd of the award if we get one and if the back payments total over $25k then the attorney gets 25%.
So here is my gripe. Why doesn't Social Security, the VA, and every other government agency that grants benefits to disabled veterans work off the same page? Social Security has their own set of criteria you have to meet in order to prove your case but that set of criteria is different than the VA's. Why for God sake? And why doesn't Social Security honor the VA determination as a prerequisite for their decision to grant disability?
And furthermore, why should you have to sue the government to get the benefits you've paid for during your working life and pay the attorney 25-331/3% to get them?
I got a letter from Social Security yesterday and they told me they are waiting for a slot to open with an Administrative Court Judge who will hear my case. They told me that could take up to 20-22 months!
I'll be damned if I'll die before that case comes to trial. And standing beside me will be every Senator and Congressman I can hog tie and drag there just so they can see, first hand, how screwed up their entire system is!
OK, I'm done! I feel much better! Thanks!
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