I am in the process of applying for social security disability due to not being able to work because of insomnia and chronic pain. I have been denied twice and am at the hearing stage. Has anyone ever applied for disability and gotten it? I don’t know if the powers that be at the disability office have any clue what EM since it is so rare and hardly ever heard of. My primary doctor, the foot doctor, my neurosurgeon, etc were all clueless to this disease.
I had to get an attorney. You only pay if you win. I won. A good disability attorney would be helpful with our rare disease. Having multiple conditions makes the case more solid. Good luck!
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I too had an attorney on a ‘No win, no fee’ basis. My condition is not erythromelalgia related, I have a brain injury which affects my temperatures. But I must agree with OnFireInSeattle a good disability attorney is advisable. SS can make things very difficult for the layperson. Having an advocate who knows the law and can play SS at their own game can take a lot of the stress out of the whole process.
Merl from the Moderator Support Team
While I don’t have any direct experience with SS disability myself, you should apply for disability on the basis of a specific illness. Saying you’re disabled due to “insomnia and chronic pain” is too amorphous and they’ll keep rejecting you. My mom got SS disability without needing an attorney because she has a prominent visible disability. I think she too was initially denied but won approval once they saw her. Erythromelalgia is a very visible illness. If there is anyway you can get them to see it, and assuming it looks menacing, that would likely increase your odds of being approved.
I agree you’re going to continue to be rejected for the vague diagnois. Heck, those could be applied to just about any adult at some point in their life. I don’t even think insomnia is considered a disability for legal purposes. Do you have a lawyer who is actually supporting this claim with these vague statements? If so I would say get a different lawyer.
azurelle
Thsts so hard to hear that youve been denied. I applied for social security disability and was awarded the first time i applied i didnt have a lawyer…i was a hairdresser and it came down to where i couldn’t stand anymore but also my hands would burn when washing hair …