FINGERS CROSSED

[mildy]

thankyou for your replies didnt come onto site yesterday as when i left my tribunal it left me feeling totally drained it was an horrible experience which i hope not to have to go through again i had 4 people in with me throwing questions at me 3 of those wernt to bad but there was a woman who was supposidly the chair person and she was a total nightmare she just wouldnt give me a break several times i looked at my walking stick and wandered what would happen if i wrapped it round her neck and then to top it all off i was shown a hospital letter from the man from the dwp from my consultant saying he couldnt answer their questions i looked at this letter it wasnt even my consultant so i asked them if they ever took notice of the information i sent in as i have seen a different one since last november they said they would make the decision and let me know by post so still i am waiting normally im such a confident person and in my job i had to deal with social workers and gps and i definately held my own with them i wasnt afraid of looking after residents rights i had more run ins with gps over treatments but nothing could have prepared me for yesterdays experience but i got through it and i had great support from my husband whom i feel sorry for as its him who i vent my frustration and anger at at times,im supposidly at the physio today but im going to cancel it i think cos i feel both physically and emotionally drained and i really dont want to be doing any jane fonda routines ive not slept well as im up again early yesterday i was up just after 3am so hopefully later on i may just have a nap to catch up

[watson3]

Poor you , I can't begin to imagine what you went thru.it is such a traumatic condition and those who judge should try living with it, then they would have the rights to make judgement on whether payment should be awarded or not. Good luck

Take it easy today

A big hug comings your way

Carole

[cofdrop-UK]

My heart goes out to you sweet - what a horrid experience. I hope you get the outcome you hope for.

I appreciate your comments about being able to fight other people's corner in the past, but it is very different when you are ill and 'doing it for yourself'. I would never go it alone with all this stuff - it is far too much pressure and the aweful thing is it makes you feel the opposite of what we strive for, in that it makes you feel more negative about your condition and life. The help of an expert here is invaluable i.e. Welfare Rights, DIAL or CAB - you would not have been in there alone if it had come to that.

I soooo wish you luck. It's done now - try put it on the back burner. By the DWP's own figures fraudulent claims for DLA are 0.5% and yet they are tryng to claim back 20%, so it stands to reason 19.5 of genuine claiments will be knocked back. Should this happen - and I sincerely hope it doesn't) please get in the experts and apply again.

Good luck XXX

[Hidden]

I wonder how they would feel if in our position let alone the pain and not able to do things we used to do. --------- not very long. I blame the goverment esp David Cameron because its them who make decisions and also too many people from other countries allowed to live here and first place they go Doctors and dole office then housing benifit. No wonder our country is going to hell. Why can`t they see its there fault. Does not help you but keep at them if they refuse this tims appeal again and again.It makes me so cross let them come and live in our shoes Please let us know how you get on. Don`t worry too much as it does not help your pains.

[Beth58]

Hi

So sorry you had to go through this experience, I really do feel for you.

Sadly the tribunal panel is given so much from DWP it's hard for them to read all the information and absorb it correctly. Another fact we have to take into consideration is; A DLA award is based on how a condition affects our daily life, so they base any decisions on what medical information is available to them and what they see/hear from the claimant sitting in front of them.

I do hope you get a decision in your favour but if not, do as has already been suggested and ask for help from the CAB, they are great at fighting in our corner and have the knowledge and experience to take claims to higher level tribunal.

All to often when we've done the job for others it becomes so difficult when it comes to doing it for ourselves, we're run down and in constant pain, often suffering from brain fog due to medications it's so easy to loose our way.

So don't give up fighting for what your entitled to, and get the help of CAB if benefit is refused.

Hopefully you'll win your appeal and non of this will matter.

Good luck

Beth xx

[helixhelix]

What a horrid experience, but well done you for picking up that they had information from the wrong consultant. I really hope that it goes the right way for you. it sounds as they gave you a real grilling and you stood up to it, so I think that is a good sign. Fingers crossed that you don't have to do this again. And hope you can take it easy today. Pollyx

[Kathyfitz12]

I think the way you are being treated is absolutely awful and I really admire the way you are steadily working your way through the maze of rules & regs that some moron has put together. I had experience of applying for dla for my 96 year old aunt - they sent a 20yr old "social worker" to help her fill in the form - 90% of the questions were comletely inappropriate - like did she have any psycho sexual problems (she was a 96 year maiden lady for goodness sake) When I questioned the young woman about the the suitablity of asking an old lady such questions she said she just asked the questions on the form. I'm afraid this sums up the attitude you are dealing with. Please keep as positive as you can - I loook foward to reading you have been succesful in your application.

[Dancingqueen]

This is totally different to the goverment video that's being put out telling us all that these people at our tribunal are there to help us. Thought it was too good to be true. Nothing is straightforward or simple dealing with all this. I am waiting to hear when my tribunal will happen. Its hard to keep fighting when you feel so ill but what else can you do ? Trying to get through to the CAB is a nightmare & when you do you have to wait weeks to get an appointment. It feels like an uphill struggle. Obviously that is to stop genuine people from claiming.The sick & vulnerable get left by the wayside !!!! It makes me so Mad. Excuse the rant but your comments have helped forwarn me thanks

[mildy]

thanks once again for all your replies at the minute i feel absolutely shattered im keeping everything crossed for a good outcome,my husband was in the room with me as my representative as hes the one who sees me everyday and the one who helps me at one point in the interview he was told by this chair woman who by the way looked like a very untidy Anne Widdicome that she wasnt talking to him when he tried to help me answer something i thought he was going to get up and throttle her as she was so rude to him,in total i had 5 people in there with me,a doctor,independant disabled person,the clerk,the chairwoman and also a guy from dwp who was on a random visit they wernt to bad it was the chairwoman who was in my face all the time she just wouldnt give it a rest she was trying to twist what i was saying but i gave her as good as what i got but when your trying to do it for yourself it is hard and you really do have to think what your saying to them.A few weeks since i wrote to the prime minister about disabled peoples rights and benefits as my esa had been stopped which i appealed against and i was put at last into the support group and i told him i was disgusted in the way disabled people were being unfairly treated and it was about time he stopped giving all our money to illegal imigrants and none deservers who had never paid anything into our country but who were willing to take handouts i also stated in my letter that charity began at home and why should he be bailing out all these foreign countries when we need help i didnt expect any reply back but i did get a letter back saying thankyou for raising these concerns it was on beautiful paper and in a real thick matching envelope not the type you get from the local pound shop i then received a letter from the dwp acting on mr camerons behalf sending me some information on the benefit system what a cop out,anyway enough for now the old fingers are getting achey keep you up to date when i get the decision for my appeal back

[Hidden in reply to mildy]

Well said exactly how i feel and some cannot speak english and waste more time when at Dr as he has to get computer set up with interepter. Send them all back as people who were born here are loosing out. They are useing us

[cofdrop-UK]

Dancingqueen - If you are not getting any joy from CAB try your local Welfare Rights or DIAL and as it is a disability claim they usually come out to your home. The two benefits experts I saw on different occasions were from Welfare Rights and one was in her 20s and the other lady was older - both were very professional, and whilst being truthful they know the type of thing the DWP are looking for - things you might feel trivial or embarassed about i.e. difficulty putting on a bra. I asked her not to put it on but as she says it's due to your pain and so relavant. They took the pressure off me I can tell you and did it so quickly, whereas it would have taken me ages. My gp wrote a piece and I am sure they get in touch with your consultants. Remember it's not your medical condidtion in itself that matters, but how it effects your daily living. Please don't take any notice of the DWP 'we know you have good days and bad days' rubbish. Even our better days are not good.

Please don't give up - hard as that is.

XXX