social security disability and copd

[engineman]

Has anyone had any experience with applying for social secutity disability for copd. I am not sure I will be able to do my work as an engineer aboard a ship much longer. The job itself, the physicality, the smoke and fumes, the asbestos in the atmosphere, is making my problem worse. Any advice or information would be welcome.

Engineman

[JC the Fox]

When I applied in March, 2005, I had just overcome my second bout with pneumonia in less than 6 months. I had had all the PFT's run, and my pulmonologist was wanting to put me on a lung transplant list, which may or may not have happened, except his office dropped my wife's insurance company. Fortunately for me, the last thing he had done was write a letter of recommendation that I be declared disabled.

I gave a copy of that letter to my case worker at the social security office, and she forwarded it to the state case worker, who called me to set up state tests for the same PFT's I had just taken. We talked at length, and I ended up faxing him copies of my tests. Long story short, the state tests were cancelled; and I received approval in seven weeks, retro-active to January 1. With the 5-month waiting period, my first month of eligibility was June, and I got that month's check in July.

I did not have to get a lawyer, as was suggested by almost everyone I spoke with. I think that is because my PFT numbers were so low. In addition, from what I gleaned from the state case worker, their determination was going to be based almost entirely on the outcome of their tests.

JC