PIP

[Matt2584]

I have learnt from others and as my DLA form said on their last letter to me, that I should add doctors notes to my PIP claim in order to give concrete proof of my disability.

I have spasticity in my left leg. It has not been proven that I have spasticity and I haven’t been diagnosed with spasticity either, I basically diagnosed myself with it :).

1996 was my first bout of surgery that lead to brain injury. Since then my balance had been bad. Over the years during school 97, 98, 99 and 2000 I had operations on my head.

About 3 or 4 years ago is when I really started to notice stiffness in my left leg and it was slowing me down a lot.

I am now walking around with a walking stick which I never had to since 1996.

I don’t really trust doctors or the pharmaceutical industry in general at all and so I was the one who did the research on spasticity and when I read about the symptoms sounding like what I have then I easily diagnosed myself with it.

What I do not understand though is why does the diagnosis have to come from your doctor?

If I told the PIP acessor that I have spasticity and they asked where are the doctors notes proving that, then I might not be accepted or get lower pay than I should.

Yes, the doctor may know more about the body than I do but that doesn’t mean that I HAVE to get my doctor’s referral.

I just don’t understand why, it sounds pathetic to me.

[Bright2018]

To be honest the DWP are the Department for Work and Poverty. They are deliberately making life difficult. This is why my wife, who is a lawyer, is coming over from the Philippines to help me with backdated claims for many years. The DWP are evil. That is my honest opinion NOT a political opinion! So it is with TBI impossible to get justice. We need lawyers and we need legal aid against our own government! Incredible but true.

Best wishes with your claim and Good Luck !

[Matt2584 in reply to Bright2018]

I’m with you on that. DWP being Department of Work and Poverty, that’s a good one :). But so true though.

People would think that the DWP are a blessing for disabled people because they give them a chance to live life without having to work because they can’t.

If they really liked helping us out then there would be no PIP.

I know others will disagree and say that PIP exists to catch out all the folk who are cheating the system but if that is the case then why give out all these benefits to bloody well immigrants?

War veterans who have served for this country are out on the streets while immigrants are treated like royalty! There is something very, very sick with the world today and quite frankly I don’t really like living in it.

You are correct though in what you say, the DWP (Devil Wears Prada :D) are evil.

“The love for money is the root of all evil”

[Mads1975]

The reason why th evidence needs to come from a doctor is so they can be satisfied your claim is valid. If everyone was to be trusted, there will be the dishonest parts of society who don’t have a disability who will diagnose themselves with one that gives them the most money.

They can’t be expected to know which people’s self diagnosis is correct and those that are blagging it.

[Matt2584 in reply to Mads1975]

I was waiting for that reply.

I can understand it but I think there is a lot more to it than wanting proof.

[sealiphone in reply to Matt2584]

Well this is mainly hearsay and impressions but it does appear there has been a change in the way current claim are considered in terms of why someone should have an award rather ensuring claimants get there due entitlement.

The moral of DWP staff is probably at an all time low, due targets they have to meet.

Just my impression from the disputes we see.

[cat3]

I suppose it's the only way to weed out false claims. You know you have incapacities but you're a stranger to the DWP. I'm not sure I'd like the job of deciding who's genuine and who isn't from the thousands of claimants, especially when a fair proportion aren't.

Why not see your GP, explain your mobility issue and ask for an official 'label' and some back up in writing for your claim. xx

[Matt2584 in reply to cat3]

If it were as easy as popping along to see your GP about it I probably would but I have heard stories about how people would have to wait an hour or 2 to see the quack and that is off putting.

I’ve got way better things to be doing with myself than to sit around in drs surgery for an hour like say drawing an Aardvark for instance :).

[cat3 in reply to Matt2584]

😆 x

[sealiphone in reply to Matt2584]

If a dispute does arise a local advice center may have the resources to write for you seeking evidence from your GP. Many GP letter I see do not constitute good evidence, most have no idea how and what they should say.

You don't have to provide evidence at the application stage but if it's good evidence it can be very useful.

In terms of diagnosis it really does have to come from someone who is qualified to make it. I have seen cases where there hasn't been a diagnosis and the GP has refuted the claim in their response.

Anyway hopefully you get the award you're due.

[sealiphone]

Well if we're talking about disputes and appeals the problem is the DWP have evidence from a medical assessment done by a 'health professional' who has been trained to carry out an assessment relevant to the criteria. Of course we say bol****s to that but for the court there has to be more persuasive evidence.

Having said that the Tribunal can often be persuaded by the appellant in person without any other supporting evidence.

Now the political aspect is a separate matter and I won't repeat comments which I agree with.

On the subject of scroungers over 20 years representing at Tribunal and leading up to that you can begin to suspect an element of fraud may be present and I can only think of 3 cases. On the other hand another 5 when my advice was see a criminal solicitor, don't believe the lies, we're not that different to other disabled claimants.

[Hidden]

The doctors letters are supportive evidence I don't think it will help your claim if you say you've self diagnosed.

[Matt2584 in reply to Hidden]

I don’t think it will help my claim if I say I have self diagnosed either but I still don’t why it has to be a “professional” to tell you that you have this or you have that.

I have, and it sounds a lot like, I have spasticity in my left leg just by reading about it on various websites, including Headway’s but I wouldn’t be able to write that in my claim, I would have to see a doctor.

And here is the problem. Why would I have to go out of my way, stop doing the things I want to do for one day just to go see a doctor who I might have to wait ages to see just so they can tell me what I already know?

I don’t get it at all and never will.

[Hidden]

Way it works. Do you have a neurologist? His support would be best get the go to refer you to one if you have not.

[fredikins]

Matt mate, I'm with you 100% on GP's, they think they are gods, I've never even met mine as I dont go for any reason, though I suspect I have spaticity in my right leg, the foot tries to curl over, just a month ago I could potter about the flat barefoot, a real pleasure I can tell you, but a recent fall has put me someway backwards, good luck with your PIP, personally I can do without the hassle as the extra I get from being in support group is adequate. look forward to seeing your Armadillo.

[Matt2584 in reply to fredikins]

Glad to hear somebody else is like minded on here then :).

My original GP has retired now and I did not even know he had retired until my brother, who was under the same GP as me wen to the doctors once and met his new GP which I guessed must be my GP as well :).

Anyhow, I have only seen my GP once and she seems nice but like I say, I don’t understand why you must see the GP to get a diagnosis? They are just human like you or me and I am the one with spasticitynot the doc so if I can refer to what the internet tells me then I have diagnosed myself. Noreal need for a doc. But because our bogus system that we are tied to, we MUST get diagnosed by a doc...pile of crap to me.

That’s right, my spasticity is in my left leg and my left foot claws up when I walk. Involuntary stiffness when moving around. It can feel sore at times and it slows my walking down big time. It can feel worse in the evenings when muscles are tired.

Have you got any good tips on treating spasticity? I do stretches and try to build up muscle in that leg. I even use essential oils too.

[sealiphone]

I can say I refuse to see my named GP, following previous experience. Since then they've all been exceptionally nice.

My experience before 'Devil woman' had ranged from pretty good to very good, it's a lottery.

Additionally as my symptoms aren't physical why would I see my GP unless I've got flu?

They know very little about TBI and my symptoms, although they will have the Neuropsychologist's report, which would be very useful if I had to claim PIP.