A few weeks ago we wrote about a man who had his Social Security Disability benefits problem resolved when he met his US Senator at a Fourth of July gathering. Now a Minnesota woman suffering from diabetes, lung cancer, and a weak heart resolved her disability benefits problem with the help of someone even more powerful – President Obama.
She tried to obtain disability benefits for over a year; the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) denied her claim twice. Her last hope was to speak with attorneys who specialize in disability appeals, but they informed her of the fact that even successful appeals can take years. The woman had medical bills of over $10,000 and could not afford to wait that long.
So, she headed to a town called Cannon Falls, knowing that President Obama was coming in two days. Unable to secure a hotel room because none were available, she spent the night in her truck along with her oxygen machine. She was one of the few to get tickets to see President Obama and got to ask him a question. The President took a personal interest in her case and made a few phone calls.
The next day representatives of Representative Michele Bachman and Senator Amy Klobuchar called her. The day after that Governor Mark Dayton called. She learned that her benefits would begin on September 1, 2011. In a matter of minutes, President Obama took care of a problem that had cost the woman over a year of time and effort.
Most of us do not have direct access to our Senators or President Obama. It is difficult to pass a message to them, let alone have them intervene in a disability case. If the President has to intervene to award disability benefits to a legitimately disabled American worker, is that not a sign that the system needs improving immediately?
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security Disability attorneys
