looking for help with appeal

nuishka

hi everyone i usually post on your child forums,but i was told to post her i may get some more replys,some of u may remember me from a couple of month back my daughter lauren is 13 now. diagnosed 2005,her onset was vigourous and nasty,now on methetrexte 15mg weekly.and steroids as and when required,dla stopped dec 22nd 2009,awarded lrc to 2013,have obviously appealed,the car was taken from us also in june this year,so u all know the words of the song (i am a woman on a mission) well thats me,i think,then i dont think i can get all the words right on the day.have been writing it all down,all day my heads busting,i will b going myself welfare rights officer was contacted after id done all the paper work etc u know all the stuff,theres no stone been left unturned in my book,and she said my consultants letter wasnt very good,so she wasnt going to help me,so have studied doctors report over and over,this is what they r going on,and i am going to fight fight and fight ,she is due back in hospital very soon for her hands are pretty bad her consultants letter states her hand have SIGNIFICANT RESTRICTIONS.do u think i have any chance at all with this tribunal,my gp said i have a grat case,but i am not sure any help,is 15mg for a child serious enough to be eligble for dla. lorraine

dreamdaisy

Why did you lose DLA? Was it because you were awarded the other (I don't know what it is) ? Your daughter's condition does sound serious and yes, you do need to appeal/go to a tribunal. Could the CAB help in anyway? I am not clued up on these things at all, so I can't be of much help I'm afraid. Accurate reports are an essential part of evidence - it seems to me that it is the reports that fail people in these situations. I wish you well. DD

tkachev

I remember your story.

I would definately keep fighting. If her hands are restricted she will have lots of problems caring for herself.Maybe because she is on methotrexate they hope her arthritis is controlled and she will start to reap the benefits.
I would keep fighting for the car and better care rate. if she is having difficulties getting about, dressing,washing and getting in and out of bed and if she needs help at night turning over or getting comfy. Make a note of everything you have to help her with, remembering at 13 she would otherwise be able and want to do these things herself.
Its a shame the medical notes arent supporting her case as well as they should as this making your case difficult.
Good luck and let us know how you get on,

Elizaabeth

rachelj

I wish I could offer you more help, I can only let you know what I my friend went through, her case was slightly different as her son has form of autism. She found it helpful to take the specialists report and put it in day to day terms. Ignore the medical mumbo jumbo, the side effects of medication etc think practical. Can she dress herself, can she open doors, is she always able to hold a knife and fork. Remember they are trying to access the impact on her day to day life. Also think about what impact it has on yours too, so my friends son found it too stressful to travel to school in any way other than Mummy's car, which meant my friend had to be there everyday to do the school run which impacted her job options.

Stay strong and don't give up the fight!

Good luck

Rach

kathbee

Hi Lorraine

Sorry to hear about the problems with DLA for your daughter.

Sadly though, I believe that with the DWP, the drug doseage and medication one takes and even the illness/disease in question in general has not much bearing as its what a person can and cant do that's logged and thats what their decisions are based upon. In fact maybe the more meds or the higher the dose may mean that they expect a claimant to improve in the very near future, not always the case as most of us know firsthand.

A friend of mine who was going thru a DLA appeal got the help of the CAB welfare rights and was told that for example:

If you cant walk without pain, then consider that you cant walk.
If you feel pain as soon as you try to get up from a chair or bed, consider that task cant be done.

And that seemed to be the way it went, luckily she got her lowered care component re-instated to an even higher level than she was expecting as when the panel interviewed/interrogated her :roll:
they could see for themselves how bad she was. It was in fact a very fair tribunal with good outcome.

Mind you its a longish time ago so dont know if the criteria is still the same, so please bear that in mind.

Hope things work out well for you and your daughter.
It must be heartbreaking to have a child with this disease and
witness the difficulties and pain.

Kath x

frogmorton

Hi Lorraine

I haven't gorgotten you either.

I am fuming to think your daughter does not get her DLA any more

This is so wrong.

Who have you got helping you with the appeal?

I should think being on MTX at all is significant for a child as are the problems with the poor girl's hands :!:

You have to get the best back up you can Lorraine - dont try to do it on your own. CAB?? Has She a Social worker as the social services sometimes have benefits advisors?

Love and best wishes

Toni xx