United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Sorry guys I should have been more clear in my post. I was injured 6.5 years ago TRBPI flail right arm and I was awarded Social Security Disability. All those things about BPI not being able to qualify are not true. What I was asking is "has anyone who is currently recieving SSD had a review of their case"? I should have been more clear. I don't want people giving the wrong advice, therefore discouraging people from seeking benefits. There are members of this community who personally had the guidelines that Social Security uses changed to include BPI as a qualifying condition, they worked very hard to do this. Thank You
Brandon Hubbard

Re: Filing for SSD / SSI Question from UBPN Please help
Posted: Jan 18, 2007 7:57 PM Reply


Dawn I copied and pasted this from an old post.
SSA- Disability new factsheet BPI
Posted: Mar 10, 2006 2:44 PM Reply



new ssa fact sheet on bpi
njbirk Posted: Mar 10, 2006 8:04 AM

I shared with you all some time ago that Kathleen Mallozzi and I attended a Policy Conference with the Social Security Administration as they are revising the Guidelines for disability. This meeting was in July of last year.

Here is the link for the new fact sheet on bpi. Just having the fact sheet is critical (BPI was not included in the listings at ALL before. Instead we had to piece together our injury from the listings of other neurological injuries).

http://policy.ssa.gov/POMS.NSF/lnx/0424580030

The old listing placed disabilty decisions based soley on limitations in TWO extremities and we explained that, instead, for bpi, severity and extent of injury in ONE, should be sufficient for disability. If you read through the fact sheet, you will find these words:

"Marked limitations in any two of the domains, or extreme limitation in one, mean the impairment functionally equals the listings."

Nancy Birk
UBPN President
======================================================


Re: new ssa fact sheet on bpi
Kath Posted: Mar 10, 2006 9:31 AM
Nancy
This change make all our work worthwhile.
I am so excited!
We left this conference feeling positive.
I assumed it would be a very long time before we would see the results of the positive feedback we received there.
This is HUGE we (UBPN) made a change on a National Level.
This policy will support bpi people when dealing with SSA.
I was also pleased to see the opening statement where they acknowledge UBPN.

"Most of the following information on brachial plexus injuries (BPI) was originally prepared in collaboration with the United Brachial Plexus Network (UBPN), and presented in a Factsheet that was distributed in an administrative message. This information pertains primarily to infant birth injuries, however, much of it is also relevant to adults and older children who sustain BPI injuries. For more detailed information about BPI, and the latest developments in this specialized field of medicine, visit the UBPN website at ubpn.org and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke?s BPI page at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brac ... plexus.htm. "


I am doing the bpi happy dance....

Kath ( adult/robpi)


Carolyn J
Adult LOBPI
Carolyn J

Posts: 3067
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 9:22 am
Location: Tacoma WA
National Flag:
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI. I am 71 yrs old and never had a name for my injuries until 2004 when I found UBPN at age 66.

My injurfies are: LOBPI on upper body and Cerebrael Palsy on the lower left extremities. The only intervention I've had is a tendon transplant from my left leg to my left foot to enable flexing t age 24 in 1962. Before that, my foot would freeze without notice on the side when wearing heels AND I always did wear them at work "to fit in" I also stuttered until around age 18-19...just outgrew it...no therapy for it. Also suffered from very very low self esteem; severe Depression and Anxiety attacks started at menopause. I stuffed emotions and over-compensated in every thing I did to "fit in" and be "invisible". My injuries were Never addressed or talked about until age 66. I am a late bloomer!!!!!

I welcome any and all questions about "My Journey".
There is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION.
Sharing helps to Heal. HUGS do too.

Thanks Carolyn,
For reposting the information I was happy to find it when I was applying for SSDI and I applied without a lawyer and I got it because of my birth erbs and because I got my good arm rip up driving a semi. I could not understand how a person ends up denied with this At the SSDI sight ???? So If this did not count ENOUGH ?? I was saying about being under doctors care because of the time length in finding treatment or surgeries as a option in applying for or for review for SSDI??? The Company doctor wrote a letter that said in writing I should apply for SSDI . So thats why I post this possibility of being under doctors care in applying for SSDI or for a review .
Tom

Okay, I am confused. What is a birth erb?

My birth erbs as I understand it is, when I was born I weighed 12 pounds and in the delivery I was pulled out with forceps. In my delivery the doctor broke my elbow and my scapula and tore and stretch nerves out off my neck and spine on my left side. I know that there is alot more in the medical description to birth erbs but this is what it is to me. Only time it counted was when UBPN got involved with SSA, I just happen to applied shortly after it became a part of terms for applying for SSDI, thanks to UBPN I had other medical issues to when I applied to. Every medical issue and records count when you apply. Add any records you have when applying it is very important to do so of any other condition to.

Tom

"billvxii".
FYI,Erb's Palsy is another term for a Brachial Plexus Injury caused at Birth from the Doctor,Nurse, Intern using too much force or Pressure from forceps to pull the baby out because it was stuck in the pelvic canal of the the mother, called Shoulder Dyscotia. It is a Doctor's error and there is a proper way to dislodge the baby when stuck. An OBPI(Obstetrical Brachial Plexus injury) is a LIFE LONG Injury depending on the serverity of the injury. Some of us adults were never given information and we injurered ourselves further thru our life. There are Secondary medical conditions also from this injuries from birth.

You are welcome on any Message Forum. Parents and adults have alot of helpful information too. There is no dumb question only the ones NOT asked!

I am glad you found UBPN. The Resources link has alot of helpful information,Home page & Glossary of terms used.

Carolyn J
LOBPI/73+--[LEFT sided BPI injured]

Thank you Carolyn. I am new to this and just heard about a new way to lay in new nerves to rehabilitate this if done soon enough. I'm trying to find out how to get in clinical trials. Since I have been 'voluntarily terminated' from my job I have time.