What do you think constitutes "disability"?

[mons meg]

Also don't forget the train wreck that is the military disability system. I personally know of one guy who gets like 20% disability from the Air Force for sleep apnea. He runs marathons, and yet has like a 20% rating.

 

[AKguy1985]

I have a friend who has majorly diminished lung capacity because of either a birth defect or, pnemonia, so bad that she has to use oxygen to walk around and has to use a CPAP machine when she sleeps. She has applied for disability and been denied a couple times.


OTOH I know a girl who was on disability for being antisocial and got it. Supposedly. But, now she works at lowes in Van Buren.

 

[Shootin 4 Fun]

Disability is an injury or disease that prevents a person from being able to work.I have seen a lot of people with a "disability" who are healthier than I am and I work every day.I had to make a career change because I was no longer physically able to do my old job.

And fat is not a disability

Fat may not be a disability, but it certainly could be the result of other disabilities.

 

[loudshirt]

Disability is an injury or disease that prevents a person from being able to work.I have seen a lot of people with a "disability" who are healthier than I am and I work every day.I had to make a career change because I was no longer physically able to do my old job.

And fat is not a disability

Well, heres my definition. . If you are physically able to work, your not disabled.
My neighbor is disabled? But breaks/trains horses for a living. Gets paid cash, pays no taxes and gets a check from uncle sam...

Honestly most of the disabled people I meet seem to be more lazy than disabled. But I realize looks can be deceiving, some of them probably really are disabled. But I think the rest need to re-abled!

The problem is there are too many definitions of work. What you do for work and what I do for work can be completely different both physically and mentally. From reading the story a large part of the corruption was from the private side, doctors who will right what the lawyer wants and a lawyer who knows what doctors to use and has a shady relationship with a less that honorable judge.

 

[Hoov]

The biggest disability I've seen so far is spelling...

 

[Chief Sapulpa]

Based on your scenarios, the medical profession is too quick to diagnose PTSD and does it warrant a disability rating. I don't think so...
When did a self-abusive lifestyle and laziness constitute a disability rating? Poor health choices and you suffer the consequences but does not get you meal tickets...

 

[BadgeBunny]

One thing I do know is that as people's unemployment benefits run out and they still can not find a job because of the crappy economy, many are applying for disability because of depression and getting it.

On the other hand I am a diabetic and my meds do not always work for me. I sometimes have trouble seeing well enough to read, my legs and feet sometimes have trouble to the point it hurts to walk or they cramp when I sit. When I finally did find a job I got to work for one night before my blood sugar spiked, I could barely walk, both big toes turned bright red and I still have blood under both of those toe nails. My wife and sisters say I should apply for disability but screw that. I still do what I can to make a living and I will keep looking for a job I can do.

Man ... I'm sorry to hear that you are having those kinds of issues. Hurting all the time sucks ... Big time!

 

[Wheel Gun]

Here's the problem. As the law stands, you just need a doctor that will fill out a form. The form asks for some illness and asks if the potential disabled meets any of a long list of criteria. One of those criteria is "unlikely to work". In every impoverished city/county, there's at least one doctor who will gladly testify that the poor/uneducated/obese person in his office is unlikely to work. He sees no jobs in the community and no one working, so that's easily justified.

In most communities, there is one doctor who submits the vast majority of these forms. If you're a mother, Social Services signs you up for Welfare/WIC/Medicaid. If you're not, Social Services sends everyone else to this guy for disability. See, everyone gets some government money. It's cool.

 

[tRidiot]

Based on your scenarios, the medical profession is too quick to diagnose PTSD and does it warrant a disability rating. I don't think so...
When did a self-abusive lifestyle and laziness constitute a disability rating? Poor health choices and you suffer the consequences but does not get you meal tickets...

PTSD is VERY easy to meet criteria for.

And as for poor health choices, I agree, but the fact remains... poor choices or not, the problems remain and are functionally/physically no different from the identical problem that did not arise out of the same circumstances. Is it being a matter of choice considered a valid factor in determining disability? The paraplegic who crashed his car while drunk at 18 and broke his neck is now 45 and his physical disability is no different from someone hurt in an accident not of his making, or from a genetic defect that caused his problems. Right?

Do we look at just the physical issue(s), or how the individual got to that point?

Tough questions...

 

[ronny]

One thing I do know is that as people's unemployment benefits run out and they still can not find a job because of the crappy economy, many are applying for disability because of depression and getting it.

On the other hand I am a diabetic and my meds do not always work for me. I sometimes have trouble seeing well enough to read, my legs and feet sometimes have trouble to the point it hurts to walk or they cramp when I sit. When I finally did find a job I got to work for one night before my blood sugar spiked, I could barely walk, both big toes turned bright red and I still have blood under both of those toe nails. My wife and sisters say I should apply for disability but screw that. I still do what I can to make a living and I will keep looking for a job I can do.

Given what you've indicated above, you're a little touched in the head if you don't apply, that is unless you have a good source of income and really don't need the disability income. Cases like yours are the reason this law is in effect. Coburn, for one, would have no problem with your instance. I'm a little like you, but with regard to veteran's benefits. I qualify, but choose not to participate because I don't need them. If push ever comes to shove, I will. But, not until I have no other choice.

But, there are freeloaders by the millions out there and many of them are on this program all the while with medical problems that are no worse than a bee sting. These people, and those like them on welfare, are gutting this nation and pose a greater threat to our survival as the America we know than any Islamic terrorist group. There, I've said it.

I know many older people who collect social security while living in spacious, luxurious homes and driving high-dollar Cadillacs and Lexus'. I think that's almost as bad, although they certainly have the legal right to do what they're doing.