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Looking for a reference on lawyers who can help with US citizen outside United States

Started by rvsw, October 23, 2016, 07:07:09 AM

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rvsw

Hello

I have been having chronic pain since 2007. Initially it was pelvic pain which make me bedridden along with moderate amount of neck pain.

I caught Social Security awarded in 2011 after I told the judge that I am capable of starting working and he gave me some money on logic which I still cannot make sense of.

Since I had lost my health insurance by that time I moved out of United States. In 2015, I was finally ready to move back when I had an onslaught of neck and shoulder pain which made it impossible for me to open doors.

I was told that I cannot apply for expedited reinstatement of Social Security. So in July 2016, I finally applied for a new application of Social Security with essentially the same symptoms but with an added diagnosis of fibromyalgia. I still cannot find any lawyer who can represent me since I'm outside United States. So if someone knows a lawyer that would help me that would be useful.

foxgrove

I was able to find this website that may have the information you were looking for: http://www.disabilitybenefitscenter.org/faq/disability-benefits-living-overseas

Your post left me with a whole bunch of questions... are you a US citizen by birth or by naturalization?  How long did you live in the US?  I'm not quite sure of what you meant when you described your first encounter with social security... did you receive it and then got better so you went off it before returning to India?  Just trying to fill in the blanks so our more US social security knowledgeable folk can maybe help out.
Where God leads, His hand always provides
...so keep Calm and code on....

Foxgrove

rvsw

Thanks for your response. I'm sorry I was not clear enough in the earlier post. And I also saw some typos which I have not detected and were there because of voice recognition.

I am a naturalised citizen. I applied for Social Security in 2008. By 2010 I had lost health insurance and was mostly bankrupt and divorced so I had to move out of United States. Fortunately by 2011 I recovered and was able to start working from India.

I finally had a hearing in June 2011 and they are I told the judge that I have started working so he awarded me Social Security for the earlier years. Now I understand that he had awarded be Social Security for a closed period.

Now that the symptoms have recurred and I had to quit job about 1 year ago, I applied for Social Security from overseas and finally completed the application in July 2016. I was hoping to engage an attorney just like a earlier time. However, either the attorneys are not willing to help out individual persons or they say that they do not take overseas client.

And yes I did see the link that you have posted.

Thank you for your time

foxgrove

Cool... I get where you're coming from.  That stinks that things didn't work out for you and your wife.  Wish it had gone differently for you.

I did remember a group that deals with nothing but disability insurance issues for folks... Ron told me about them years ago but my brain isn't working fast these days.  You'll need a Yahoo ID to join it and the topics can't be viewed until you're a member but once you join, you can ask your question.
https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Disinissues/info?referrer=saps_support

Let me know if that helps.

Fox

--------------------- late thoughts ------------------
I figured I've found it so I should give you the good stuff I was able to find aside from the lawyer assistance idea:

You apply through the Social Security Office Of International Operations
here's their website: https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/

You can apply for your SSDI yourself, online... yup, for real!  Here's the link: http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/disability.htm  Generally, the folks at DISINSISSUES are the good guys here.  They've got answers to just about everything I could think of.

Your disability application will be handled through your regional contact for India, which, oddly enough, is through the Philippines. 

American Embassy
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Ermita, Manila 0930
Philippines
Phone: 632-301-2000
Fax: 632-708-9714 or 632-708-9723
Email: FBU.Manila@ssa.gov
https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/foreign.htm

Hope that helps some
Where God leads, His hand always provides
...so keep Calm and code on....

Foxgrove

rvsw

Thank you for your continued responses. Yes I have applied through Philippines. But as is my past experience, Social Security will deny and then I will need a lawyer to present my case.
I have a lot of medical documents and I'm trying my best to present my case in a coherent manner. But I'm assuming that lawyers will know what really catches the attention of Social Security and that is why looking for one.

I will check out the Yahoo groups link

Thank you for the information

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