hi all, just been sat going through and correcting all the assumptions/mistakes/lies that my atos medical examiner (community nurse) wrote about me and i am absolutely dreading going and sitting in that room and being judged!!
Havent got anyone going with me as cab and welfare rights are backed up with all these appeals and they havent got any spare advocates that could help me
am losing sleep over this just cant switch off.
Can anyone that has had their tribunal please offer any advice as to what i can expect please xx
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barnsleysar
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Did the CAB help with your submission to the appeal? The fact that they are involved, even if they can't attend with you can make a difference. If you have a friend or family member who can go with you for support I'm sure that would help.
Even if you cant have an official advocate with you DO PLEASE take someone who can back up anything you say or confirm what happens there. Also if you do take someone get them permission to speak on your behalf (this isnt automatic) and get them to speak truthfully about how your condition affects you and other people around you. Take any letters from specialist with you and dont be worried if you are shaking and spluttering I was ! It is a horrid experience but the people there are there to help you get what you deserve, they are on the side of justice. Do you know any union reps who could help it doesnt have to be CAB or welfare people ! There will be someone to take your details and those of anyone with you (I had a friend (who is a union rep) and my two sons with me and their details were taken as well, as I say get permission for them to speak on your behalf cos they have to have it. When you get into the tribunal there will be 2 or three people facing you (they are usually retired gps and jps ! They will ask questions regarding your claim, illnesses and the effects it has on your life and others who live, work and are involved with you.
Had my appeal last weektwasnt as bad as I thought it would be gave me a answer within ten mins unfortunatly it was a no but they didnt declare me fit to work because my condition as got worse they said that they thought I would of been fit enough to worklast year but not now so they told me I didnt pass but when my esa is stopped to reclain straight away with my M.E. And fibro and oa an deppression on the sick note and also informed me that I should pass this time but that if it did go to another appeal I fit all the criteria to pass, so fun for me have to start the esa process again yipee but the judge an doc I got for the appeal were fine I took my daughter with me to and she spoke to them about how my illness affects me to , dont worry to much and good luck hope it all goes well x
Write it down, write what a typical day is like when you are at your worse and don't be rushed. Make sure to have your say and don't try to put on a good front, sometimes we all want others to think the best of us and one thing I have found is that we often almost apologise for having FB and of course we shouldn't. tell them what constant pain throughout your body is like, I asked an ALTOS assessor if he had ever had flu, the bone aching type and then said, imagine having that each and every day and knowing that whatever you do, whatever you take, it will never go away.
Explain the tiredeness and extreme fatigue and the brain fog. When I talk aloud, even to myself, about how FB has prevented me working and how that makes me feel, I cry, buckets and I did in the interview and I think he got what I was trying to say. I have full rate DLA mobility and medium care and have recently been assessed as 30% disabled for Industrial Injuries as my FB worsened after a work car accident. I didn't think I would get it after reading all the stories, but for once, I dropped my smoke and mirrors facade and said it as it is. That is all you can do, write it down, all of it and educate them. I hope it all goes well for you. x
I've sent in hospital letters backdating right back to 2005, my lovely friend wrote me a letter (i didnt know about it till i got the letters back) saying what it is like for me and the help that she gives me i've just been referred to a neurologist because they think i may have ms so that letter was sent on monday to them too. hopefully they see that i'm not a scrounger/drug addict etc and that i really do need help. thank you for your kind words, i'll let you all know how i get on
ps CAB told me that although they wanted to help, with all the cutbacks to their services they were unable to help at all so i have had to rely on what all your blogs and personal experience to fill everything out. I think they should send dr's out to our homes to see exactly how we live/survive rather than the farse that is atos x
Try to take a friend and contact ADMIN, I have no idea how you do this. I am a bit of dipstick when it comes to utilising this site properly. Because they have the info they get from Benefits and Work site (so you wont have to pay). PLEASE ADMIN contact her and help her. Nobody should go through this without the correct info to help them. I got the info for a friend from Benefits and Work site who is feeling suicidal and cannot cope with bureaucrats anymore on the ESA. It really is so helpful.
I think there is some really good advice here, luckily I've not needed to go to tribunal so I can't speak from personal experience.
To get the benefitsandwork into send a message to liberty, lindsey, lexi and simon (ie our 4 Admin) and ask for the th B&W sheets for ESA, include your email address and one of them will will email the sheets to you as soon as they get chance.
(((( gentle hugs ))))
Julie xx
Thanks Julie! Anyone who wishes to have copies of the Benefits And Work info sheets on ESA please email info@fibroaction.org
Lots of advice above Barnsley, I am not on ESA myself, but hope the information above helps you and I wish you all the best with your appeal. Please let us know how you get on, take care and please take someone with you for support.
I also have an ESA tribunal next Wednesday and I am also dreading it. I was to be represented by my Welfare Rights guy, but unfortunately he is out of the country at the time of the tribunal. So I was more nervous. But his last words to me at our last meeting were 'Do not go alone' as apparently it can go against you. I have been to Tribunals in the past so know how much it can throw you. I am taking my daughter with me and a family member is driving me there. Try and get someone to go with you if at all possible. But if your representative has sent in a report this will help. I wish you luck and hope to hear how you got on.
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