"Disability Approval Success
Stories From Real People
Just Like You!" 

Brian,
After I got denied I did not know where to go who to turn to.... Then I met you and Karl took your advise ran with it and got approved..

Thanks

Mary Young
Bernville PA   

Brian,

Thank you Brian for a very informative webinar. I did have some questions before it started and fortunately they were answered before it ended. I found the websites that you brought to my attention to be very helpful as well.

I started the Social Security Disability process by myself in September 2009, after being out of work (originally due to job related injury in January 2009) since May 2009. Workers comp. claim ended in March, my Short Term Disability was running out and the Family Medical Leave was only paying me a small portion of what I was accustomed to earning. My savings was being depleted rapidly and the doctor bills mounting. I really felt desperate. Not knowing where to start, I found your site and started reading. It sounded almost impossible to follow all the suggestions that everyone was making.

I just did my best to be upfront with doctors, very clear about what I needed and requested copies of EVERY SINGLE LAB, XRAY, OFFICE VISIT, DIAGNOSIS, EXPECTED DURATION OF ILLNESS AND EXPECTED RETURN TO WORK DATE. Well by the time I filed for Social Security Disability, went to Social Services for food stamps and medicaid, I was exhausted, frustrated and felt hopeless.

The day after the webinar, I received a favorable disability decision in the mail. I was approved for disability on the first try. It paid to be diligent, organized and assertive.

I always brought all my documents with me for interviews. kept everything I got from doctors. made sure I faxed everything over to my Short Term Disability ins. carrier ASAP so as to not hold up my money or claim.

I hope my little story is helpful to someone who my be thinking of giving up hope or just starting the process. Your webinar will help me down the road now with living on Social Security Disability income. 

Thanks again,
Kay McCotter
Raleigh North Carolina  

Listen and learn how Pamela Berry used The Social Security Disability Mini Course and a recommended disability representative to get her case approved in just 10 months.

Pamela Berry
Mauldin, South Carolina

Hi Brian,
Just wanted to let you know that I received "The" envelope from Social Security today. It took me three hours to get up the courage to open it. I was a very happy person when I did. 

My disability has been approved on the first try!!!!!! I am absolutely 100% sure that the only reason I was approved on the first try was because of you and the disability digest. 

The information and contacts you supplied me with helped me gather all of the necessary reports and medical records I would need prove my case. 

The Disability Digest played a major roll in my getting approved so quickly and I really do appreciate you keeping me in the loop and recording the calls for me. 

Thanks again for all your help,

Darla Scott

Brian,

Before I found the news letter I had no idea how
to go about finding information on obtaining disability. 

You gave me different websites to look at and also other sources like when or when not to obtain a lawyer.

This has been helpful,

Margie Neely 
South Bend Indiana

Brian,

Your emails have been quite helpful. Actually, you were my last hope and it now seems like there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

Thank you!

Lew DeMatthews
Brielle, NJ 

Dear Brian Therrien,

I just received those magic words today. She said she was from Social Security and she ask me to verify a couple of things on my application. Then she said she was calling me to tell me that my claim was approved.

I have been reading some of your e-mails and listening to the recorded calls and learned the main thing is give them everything you can, be straight about why you can no longer function, and then back it up with dates, Dr's, medical records, tests, days missed work, how many times and etc. SS. loves lots of paperwork, especially if it help them to see your problems and why you can no longer work.
 
Brian Thanks if you did not have that message in there I may still be waiting. Brian tell your people give Social Security more then what's needed and be sure to keep copies, I had to answer some of their question three times! 

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Regards
Mike, 
Concord, CA 

Brian,

I learned the most from your lesson about getting the Dr. to think in terms of completing his report in a way that explains ones inability to work, as opposed to explaining ones medical condition. 

There is little you can do improve your service. 

Thanks Brian. 
Bob; Nassau, NY

Brian,

I wish I'd had this info when I first applied...it would have saved me a lot of trouble as I ended up retaining an attorney and actually going before a Disability Judge before I was approved. Took about 6 years, too!!

What has been most helpful and informative for me is the info you supplied on housing and the links to others such as the Centers for Independent Living. 

You provide a tremendous service to us all.

Joan Kimble 
Newnan, Georgia 

Dear Brian,

 I purchased Dr Ginsberg's book. At the time I felt it was a little steep, but if it was going to help me, all the better. I followed what he said in trying to fill out the forms. I did have a free consultation with a lawyer who told me to begin filling out the forms and send them in. 

The one thing he did tell me to do was to always use your last day of work as the day you became disabled. I did not "hire" him to fill out my forms or to represent me in any way. After about six months I did contact him to see if there was anything I should do since I hadn't heard anything from Social Security. He never returned my phone call. I was so sure I was going to be denied I printed copies of appeal forms. Two days after calling the lawyer I received notice from Social Security that I had been approved on my first try. 

So, was Dr Ginsberg's book expensive? Yes. Was it worth i ? Yes. Had I not read his book, I probably would not have answered the questions as he suggests. Being a medical person, I probably would have answered them with more medical terminology than how this disability actually affected my daily life. So, I have to say Thank You to Dr Ginsberg and you for providing access to this book. Had I not used the information I would probably be filling out the appeal forms right now.

Sincerely,
Lois Gahan-Gootz
Tucson AZ

Brian,

Your interview about Social Security Disability was outstanding. It provided me with the information I needed to obtaining my disability,

Jim Gleason, 
Saratoga Springs,NY

Brian,

I am a Psychosociologist and I assist patients in filing for SSDI benefits. The info is very helpful. Several patients have recently been approved in 2 months.

Dr. Judy R. McClary
140 Thrasher Road
Chesapeake, Virginia 23320

Brian,

This knowledge helped me get my disability in 2 months,

Darlene Wick 
Bancroft, Wv

Mr. Therrien,
I just wanted to tell you about my Wife’s disability case. Well, she was approved on Monday, October 06, 2008.   She applied on Wednesday, May 28, 2008.   That will be a total of four months and nine days.   Mr. Therrien, there is no way that she and I could have (WON) our case without the DISABILITY ANSWER GUIDE. She received all of her back pay, and now she will be getting a thousand dollars a month.

I am really surprise that you are selling the guide so low. Shame on people for bitching about the price. Again, If it had not been for your DISABILITY ANSWER GUIDE, there is no way that she and I would have won our case. Before my Wife applied for disability, she was told by several people that it was going to take at least two years, and that was with an attorney. Well, they were wrong.

Again, she and I would like to say thank you so much!!!!!!

The Williams Family
North Carolina

Brian,

Learning the ins and outs of both the SSDI and LTD application and claims processes through your website have helped me prepare myself factually and psychologically for the road ahead. Using the advice of your guest speakers, I have worked with my doctor, my accountant, and a number of advocacy groups to assist me with my transition from work to
rehabilitation and back to work again.

Keith Okazaki, 
Honolulu, Hawaii.

From start to finish....I was waiting for my denial letter before contacting you - but, much to my amazement, my claim has been approved - much is due to the information you provided. 

You provided a roadmap of what questions to expect and how to respond. Your information was concise, accurate and FREE - no hidden fees and the program gives a sense of empowerment! 

I THANK YOU!

Mona
Binghamton, New York 

Brian,

I have spent most of my life in health care and I still found the information helpful in getting my benefits. 

I proved in the second round that I was permanently disabled at 45 years old. 

Dan Cassidy - 
Canyon Lake, California

Brian,

I really liked the way you outlined the process and what is needed before tackling what is a difficult thing. You have helped me greatly by giving me more information about applying and what to expect. Keep on helping other confused and disgruntled individuals.

Thank You.

Neil Patton Young 
Austin, Texas

Brian,

Just wanted you to know i got my disability the first time, thanks for all your support, 

Thanks again, 

Terry Germ
Florida
p.s. please keep the emails coming, 

Brian,

A lot of your emails and conference calls have been very helpful, not just to me but I consistently help others as well. Especially on the information of how to apply correctly for Social Security Disability
and not to give up continue to appeal with Social Security.
 
Esther
Kirkland, Washington

Brian,

I stumbled upon your website by accident and started researching what I needed to start the disability process.  I found it easy to understand.

I was contacted within 24 hours and Susan was attentive to my needs and easy to talk to.  She reaffirmed my need for filing and gave me honest answers to my questions. She also offered information for disability lawyers should I choose to go in that direction.

Hi Brian,

Just wanted to tell you that my disability was approved in about six weeks.

I have two career-ending conditions that came to light just this year after I was hospitalized with two bouts of pneumonia.  I have pulmonary hypertension and peripheral neuropathy.  As a nurse I cannot work with either condition especially since the job requires standing (can’t do with peripheral neuropathy) and being around anything that could result in trauma or infectious agents affecting the central line IV that is going directly into my heart as treatment for the pulmonary hypertension.

Aside from having a Social Security agent who was really helpful in framing the application, I sent my medical summary from the Mayo Clinic.  It was very detailed and included my conditions and limitations.  My story may not be typical but I learned from your course and greatly benefited from the information.  Thanks for everything.

Nancy Gaunt
Deltona, Florida

Brian,

These emails are so helpful, I am really struggling financially and your information is helping me find resources that I had no idea I was entitled to. Today I forwarded your email to a wonderful friend of mine who just had his leg amputated. He is new at this and I know your help will be so appreciated and necessary to him. I was terminally ill for four years and your information has helped me survive. It has given me hope and the overall feeling, that someone out there really cares. I cannot thank you enough. 

Sincerely, 
Rebecca
California 
jettblackraven8792@sbcglobal.net  

Brian,

I read all e-mails that you send, they are each extremely helpful to me, I have turned my case over to a attorney after going thru several appeals ect but all of your information is still golden and I hope you will keep up the good work in keeping us abreast of all of the many aspects of getting thru a maze of Governmentally contrived pure BULL crap that's sole purpose is to keep the disabled completely baffled and stunned by the whole mass of purely none sense procedures in order to keep them from receiving any compensation. 

God Bless Your Nobel efforts! 

Bill
Texas
bill_spp@yahoo.com 

Mr. Therrien.

I had applied for disability on May 27, 2008, and in Nov. 2008, I began to receive my disability check.

I have Fibromyalgia(chronic pain), RA, diabetes, IBS, a bone craft in my foot which did not take very well and depression. My husband & I  did not have an attorney, we went by the Disability digest and researched the internet from the disability digest. 

My sister is on disability too however, it took her nearly 3 years and she had an attorney. Wow! So is this not a proven fact that The Disability Digest is very HELPFUL

Sincerely,

Angelia Williams
Gastonia, NC
GenieLvtkr@aol.com

Brian,
After the 2nd try I was eligible for SS Disability. And I have a check coming in once a month now. It helps with the budget,

Debra Parden
rdparden@sbcglobal.net
616-554-9695 

Aloah Brian,

Thanks for the content and conference calls on
Long Term Social Security Disability Insurance

They have helped me tremendously to prepare
for disability

Mahalo,
Keith 
Hawaii

Hi:
Dennis Helped me with directions where to go and what to for SSDI disability,

Thanks Mike
Michael Colburn
New Jersey
mike295c@msn.com,

My hands are killing me but in short even with my extensive experience in the health care field I would not have been approved on my second appeal without the information you provided to me and with no attorney.

I was approved for my full SS and Medicare. I am not doing great, I could not make it through most days without serious pain meds and I have several surgery's to look forward to, but it has enabled me to watch my daughter graduate college that I paid for and go on to get her PHD without worrying to much about her dad. 

Daniel  Cassidy
California 
dcasssidy@yahoo.com

Dear Mr. Therrien,

I ordered Jonathan Ginsberg's "Disability Answer Guide" from your website, including the bound workbook copy, since I wanted the written pages/examples to study carefully for myself.  I read it several times before even beginning my disability paperwork. (I would never even consider doing a phone interview because I wanted to carefully think through each answer before putting it on paper.)

Using Mr. Ginsberg's excellent advice, I can tell you that I am completely shocked and totally happy that two months since my interview at the SSA office, I received my approval letter in the mail!  I took Mr. Ginsberg's advice:  lined up a list of all my doctors, phoned their offices that they would be receiving a request from SSA for records, and made sure that they were going to be cooperative with my efforts.

 I have a number of different illnesses, several in different categories which met the disability guidelines, so I asked my doctors to be very specific in their reports to emphasize that.  I did not stick to one area only though, I included all of

my different illnesses, since they combine to really create a total package to

show that I am truly unable to work.

 I left a job that I loved and had been at for over 10 years, and I was so distraught when I left.  When SSA called my employer, he was even truthful and said that he felt I had deteriorated in my abilities to do the job adequately.  In other words, I had my ducks in a row, and I owe much of it to Mr. Ginsberg's excellent advice and also my diligence in doing everything that needed to be done.  I filled out the paperwork, let it sit overnight, reread it to make sure I had not left anything out before sending it. I was prompt in all correspondence, and believe me, I had plenty of documentation to back up everything I said.

This was my first time applying for disability because I held out working for as long as I could possibly do it, since I loved my job so much.  I am sad that I can no longer work, but I know it was the right decision, and with your help and Mr. Ginsberg's book, which was well worth the $125 (I highly recommend the bound book to go along with the CD), I am amazed that my application literally flew through the system in two months time.

Thank you so much for your good advice.  I did not use an attorney, since it was an initial application, and my doctors were very supportive.  Also, even though I had several mental disorder claims involved, I was not sent for a mental status exam, most likely because my doctor is one of the listed qualified examiners that SSA uses.  Whatever, the reason, I am very satisfied, and am thankful for the advice that I got from the Disability Digest and Mr.Ginsberg's book "The Disability Answer Guide." 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sincerely,

Brenda Puckette

Milton Florida

Ps Let me add one last word of advice to others...and I can't stress it enough...be brutally honest about how you are really doing, and be VERY SPECIFIC in describing the nature of your pain or symptoms.  Mr. Ginsberg's book was extremely helpful in this regard, and I don't think I would have understood what SSA was actually looking for without his advice in this area. 

In other words, SSA does not really care how sick you are, they are only

interested in your ability to do some kind of gainful employment.  Never lose

sight of that criteria.  That's the best advice I could give anyone.

Hi Brian:
I have some awesome news for you,, I had my hearing on the 22nd of September. the judge did a bench decision,, which was favorable!!!

The best advise I can to anybody the applies for social security is do medical record overload!! I gave the judge no choice but to do an bench w/a favorable decision!!

Bob Drinkman
New Richmond Wisconsin

Brian,
I can now be added to the Victory Dance.  I used  the recommended strategy from The Disability Digest and it took just over 6 months. My case is similar to a previous post.

I had been looking at and trying to find information for several years, but because of the confusing information, never acted on it. The Disability Digest has been an invaluable asset to my case. Thank you for this valuable asset to the workers of this country.

I also want to comment on the Zoneo24, which you recently recommended on the website. I have spent years ordering ointments and creams to relieve pain. I ordered the zoneo24 to try. Both my wife and me are very impressed with it.  I also want to say that they are wonderful people to work with.

Mike Sickenger
Farmington, New Mexico

I love you Brian, you have been a tremendous help to me. I followed what you had to say, I attended one of your phone conference's & worded my disability case accordingly to the lingo that the soc sec admin wants to read & hear. I got it on the first attempt yipeee! 

When I received the phone call on the 27th of last month from a local agent, I praised God then myself 4 times and cried tears of joy my friend. 

Brian we did it!! We did it!! Yes!! 

Thank you Father God in Heaven for blessing me exceedingly & abundantly, amen.

I look forward to hearing from you Brian.

Sincerely, David E. Gomez.
Modesto California

Mr. Therrien

I had applied for disability on May 27, 2008, and in Nov. 2008, I began to receive my disability check.

I have Fibromyalgia (chronic pain), RA, diabetes, IBS, a bone craft in my foot which did not take very well and depression. My husband & I did not have an attorney, we went by the Disability digest and researched the internet from the disability digest. My sister is on disability too however, it took her nearly 3 years and she had an attorney. Wow! So is this not a proven fact that The Disability Digest is very HELPFUL

Sincerely,

Angelia Williams
Gastonia, NC

Listen to this interview with Chris Richard and learn.

> if it's not in writing it has not happened.
> how often to keep in touch.
> why send all communication in writing via 
certified mail.
> why keep copies of everything.
> how getting a cane prescribed helped his application.
> the Social Security Disability lingo. 

Chris Richards 
California
mightyblocksman@gmail.com

Dear Brian,

I think the subject line says it all!

I only used the educational information and advice from "The Disability Digest" and Jonathan Ginsberg's book Disability Answer Guide.

My sister and advocate, Kathleen and I, spent 5 full months of doing extensive research, emails, long distance phone calls, requests for medical records, 100's of photocopies and several in-person planning strategy meetings

On Monday, September 28, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.:
Kathleen and I submitted my application for Social Security Disability Benefits. This is day 0.

On Friday, November 6, 2009 at 5:11 p.m.:
I received a message from the Social Security Administration. The message said the medical examiners in Columbus, OH gave me a medical approval. They agreed I am disabled. 

THE APPROVAL DECISION TOOK ONLY 29 DAYS. (Counting working days only) Social Security offices are not open on weekends. 

Thank you, so very much for putting all of this information together. 

Robin Gill
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
rngsurvey@yahoo.com

Brian 

My wife Lori is receiving your newsletter at my e-mail address. I found your website and looked at the lessons and made a decision to utilize the services of a social security representative The Disability Digest recommended. 

Lori applied for her benefits in July 2009 after having been disabled since February 2008. We received notice today that she was qualified to receive SSDI starting August 2008 and will receive her back benefits and current benefit by Friday of this week. 

No denial and appeals required. Granted, she may have gotten the same decision had she applied on her own, but then we will never know the answer to that. When we set out to apply we decided doing it right the first time was worth the investment of up to 25% of her back payments that we had already lived without. 

It is great to have this decided right the first time around.  We can certainly attest to the fact that doing it right the first time makes a lot of sense and saved us the agony of going through hearings to argue the specifics. It it helped to have a well known representative on the application it was well worth it.

Thanks for everything.
Mike McLean
Missoula Montana
jm_mclean2000@yahoo.com