Obtaining
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a difficult and complex process. Two out of every three applicants initially are denied. Dayna Rich had been denied a dozen times before she got the help she needed. She shares her story here.
* This is a true story as told to Allsup
After wrangling with the Social Security Administration on her own for years, this Oregon woman is finally receiving the benefits she paid for.
Above and Beyond
Silverton, Oregon—Dayna Rich says that she applied for—and was denied—Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits an excruciating 12 times. She learned first-hand that patience truly is a virtue.
She also learned the hard way that she should have looked for professional SSDI assistance from the beginning.
The 48-year-old Oregon native has been married for 29 years and has three grown children, one of whom is her 23-year-old son, a Marine who recently returned from a one-year tour in Iraq. Her brother is also on a yearlong Iraq tour, and she patiently awaits both his and the troops’ safe return.
Her life has hardly been stress-free. Mrs. Rich has faced her share of both professional and health obstacles. She once operated a family-owned resort with her husband, handling bookings and billings for its conference center for 26 years. At times, she also led guest tours.
Life at home was equally demanding. With three kids of her own, Mrs. Rich also took care of her two nieces and two nephews, It was a rowdy group of seven, so when health problems appeared, Mrs. Rich was overwhelmed.
“If it hadn’t been for the older kids to help me out, I don’t know what I would’ve done,” she said.
Her problems started in January 1990, when Mrs. Rich noticed an odd numbness in her feet. She was tripping frequently, and the numbness eventually spread to her legs. Eventually, even walking became nearly impossible.
The diagnosis was multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis affects 2.5 million people worldwide, including 400,000 Americans. MS affects the brain and spinal cord, and early symptoms include weakness, tingling, numbness and blurred vision. Muscle stiffness and thinking difficulties also can occur.
Her condition went into remission in the late 1990s, and she was able to continue working. In 2004, however, her condition re-emerged, making it increasingly difficult to continue working. In June 2005, Mrs. Rich realized that her working days had ended. After leaving her job behind, she immediately sought assistance.
Mrs. Rich said she filed for SSDI benefits on her own a dozen times without professional help. “The process was difficult,” she recalled. “Everything moved so slowly, and no one was very helpful. I was overwhelmed.” When she reached the point that she could no longer even bathe herself, Mrs. Rich knew she needed professional help.
“Out of the blue, I received some information about Allsup,” she stated. “At first, I was hesitant, but eventually I realized that I didn’t want to deal with pricey attorney fees. I also realized that I wasn’t going to be able to do it on my own.”
In 2007, she decided to call Allsup, the nation’s leading SSDI advocacy company.
Founded in 1984, Allsup has helped more than 150,000 people nationwide receive nearly $14 billion in SSDI and Medicare benefits. The company’s success rate is an impressive 98 percent for those who remain in the process until a final decision is reached.
Unfortunately, two out of three initial claims are initially denied, but Allsup was upfront with Mrs. Rich about what to expect. “I knew it could take a while,” she said.
The waiting time to process an SSDI claim is daunting. Portland applicants wait an average of 386 days for their claims to be processed. Nationally, the average wait is about 426 days.
In recent years, the SSA workload has increased because of budget cuts and a shrinking work force.
When her initial application was denied, her Allsup representative appealed and that also was denied. The claim would now go before an administrative law judge (ALJ). Usually, this requires an oral hearing.
Wanting to spare Mrs. Rich the stress of appearing in court, however, her representative prepared a thorough brief that outlined her client’s medical condition and explained why she could no longer work. Allsup pioneered this on-the-record hearing concept, which drastically reduces the amount of time it takes for clients to receive their SSDI benefits. Finally, the system worked the way it was intended. The judge agreed that an in-person hearing wasn’t necessary and awarded Mrs. Rich
Social Security disability benefits in February 2009.
Her victory was an emotional one.
“When I heard that I’d won, I started crying,” she remembered. “I just couldn’t believe it. I thought, ‘Praise the Lord! Finally.’ ”
Today, she is handling daily activities a little better. She is able to bathe herself again, and she can walk a bit more than she used to. She still battles the effects of multiple sclerosis, however, and sometimes she loses her train of thought during conversations—a common characteristic of MS.
“Sometimes I’ll be in mid-conversation,” she said, “and I’ll have difficulties remembering what I’m saying or what I’m doing. My legs still give out a lot, too.”
But she describes her experience with Allsup as, “just wonderful.”
“It was like a whole weight had been lifted off me,” Mrs. Rich said, regarding her experience with Allsup. “It was great knowing someone was there helping me through this, and now I just needed to focus on taking care of myself.”
Relieved that Allsup helped put an end to what seemed to be an endless process, Mrs. Rich has already recommended the disability experts to several people.
“Allsup is the best,” Mrs. Rich said. “I don’t know if the staff goes through special training or what, but Allsup is one of the greatest companies I’ve worked with. I never dealt with anyone at Allsup who was difficult or troublesome in any way. Always friendly, helpful and pleasant, they bent over backwards to help me.”
With a brief pause, she continued. “When people go through what I’m going through, they’re discouraged all the time, and Allsup never added to that, whatsoever. In my case, Allsup took care of me above and beyond.”