Is age a FACT or MYTH?

[kristalex2_7@ho]

What is the name of your state?
Alaska

Many time's in the past and recently by my Atty's Para-Legal, I have been told that SSDI will consider my age in my long awaited (2yrs & 7mo.) Appeals Hearing that has finally been set for July. In addition, she said that my ailment's and condition are certainly in my favor. I'll be 46 at the time of the Hearing. Is my age going to be a determining factor when the Judge is presented with over-whelming evidence of my "not being able to be gainfully employed"?
Furthermore, my wife has been an amazing pillar in understanding my inability to work. She took on a job that she is simply sick of, but does it for the Ins. to cover my enormous monthly Medical expenses. If approved, can SSDI issue immediate Medical coverage for me?
And finally, with the above information being true(if age plays the ultimate role...), what advice can you give me in the form of what I might be faced with(expect) in the Hearing. I guess I'm nervous as hell after waiting so incredibly long, not to mention the massive burdens/situations we have under gone, that I fear that the entire Hearing will be my Counsel and myself defending my AGE! And we all know that age is age...,we were born when we were born.

[Ozark_Sophist]

I'm not entirely sure I understand why you think age is so important, but probably stems from anxiety due to the long wait for the hearing. It took 30 months or so for my hearing, so I can understand anxiety.

The only factor is your disabling condition and if the voc rehab witness feels you can perform other work if accommodations can be made for your disability. In my case, I am much younger than you, but I had an income nearly twice the average for my geographic area prior to the onset of my disability. My disability made it impossible to work, even with accomodations, in the field I was in or in a labor intensive occupation. So despite my youthful age, I was granted disability. I had already started working with VR on an educational goal to adapt to my disabiling conditions prior to the ALJ hearing (which may have helped).

[kristalex2_7@ho]

Reply to post 'Is age a FACT or MYTH?'


OZ_SO,
First I want to thank you for what I feel is "sound" knowledge based on experience. Thank you.
As I stated, for the years I've been painfully waiting for this upcoming Hearing, it's been said to me that my age could be a hurdle to over-come.
The first to tell me was my initial Lawyer in Montana where the onset of the Industrial Accident(1998) occurred. The over-all, recurring theme has been: "because you're under 50, the judges in most cases, figure there has got to be a job out there that he can do....". I failed at that Hearing and just moved on.
I too, embraced Voc. Rehab. in Alaska, 1999 after that. Because this state was starving for people on the "cutting edge" of Tech. and had no real hands-on Institution at that time, AK Voc. Rehb. sent me to AZ to attend a Tech. School. With in 3 month's I found myself in an even worse situation when some one ran a light and totaled my car and took me out of commission with all 3, my job, Voc. Rehab & school. That was the middle of 2002 and I haven't worked at all...since then I think I've spent more time laying on a hospital bed than our own! I can walk, but some what in a Neanderthal fashion.
***Sorry, I drifted off track!
I guess what I'm getting at is:
To my recollection, I've been told by no fewer than 5 "Legal-eeze" that my age is going to be a factor(over the 8-9 yr. period of onset), most recent being my Atty's Para-Legal(???). To be quite frank, I agree about the Anxiety and can't recall being tense about the "age" thing until the past year. It's getting closer! So possibly my Voc. Rehab attempt is a positive omen and more importantly stick to the factual side of the case, and that's my impairments. I simply hate those "haunting's"...you know...the path seems so cut & dried...clear. Then you begin to remember what some people have said as the walls get closer.
Hey!
I want to thank you again for your meaningful advice and the time you took away from your time to respond!
Alan



A & K......in AK.