(LEE COUNTY, Fla.)- For the more than 8 million Americans who receive disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, it's a critical financial lifeline.
The monthly payments help to keep individuals, like Michael F., 52, of Lee County, afloat.
Michael has a family to support: a wife and two teenage boys. So when his disability benefits (Social Security Disability Insurance) were terminated - despite his ongoing medical conditions - he turned to Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc.
"The client came to us early in 2019 after his disability benefits were terminated in March 2018," said Lorraine Barker, paralegal with FRLS. "We represented him in a disability hearing and received an unfavourable decision. I appealed and the appeals court remanded the case back for rehearing."
Barker then represented the client in his second disability hearing and received another unfavourable decision. But did not stop there.
The FRLS attorney appealed that decision. The case, once again, was returned to a lower court for re-hearing.
"I represented client in his third disability hearing, got another unfavourable decision, appealed that, and got another rehearing," said Barker. "I represented the client in his fourth hearing earlier this year and finally got a favourable decision."
The favorable decision determinded that the client had continued to be disabled as of March 2018 when his disability benefits had stopped.
Now Michael, who worked as a glass installer for a good portion of his working life, will receive a retroactive award of $72,800 with continuing disability benefits of $1,400 per month plus Medicare.
He suffered acute pancreatitis signs and symptoms include: upper abdominal pain; abdominal pain that radiates to your back; abdominal pain that feels worse after eating; fever; rapid pulse; nausea; vomiting; tenderness when touching the abdomen.