Icd with SS and LTD

New here and thanks. Drove a truck for the past 20+years. Had my CDL since i was 19yo, i will be 43 tomorrow. Back in July 2017 had an episode where i didn’t feel good at all. Called my boss and locked the truck up. AMR took me to the hospital and i haven’t worked since. EF at the time was 20%. Cardiomyopathy, severe heart arrhythmia, and diagnosed with CHF. My EF is now 55% with meds and the icd. Arrhythmia is still there but not near as bad as it used to be. My CDL is dust in the wind and has been for a while. My cardiologist has release me for full time, light duty. But i know SS goes by past work experience and so does my LTD carrier, Hartford. It’s all legality now. I get almost 2200/mo SS and 1400 LTD. nobody is gonna pay me this unless i was actually driving a truck again. I’m just wondering what i can do before SS wants to review my claim again...... thanks

3 Comments

CDL?

by AgentX86 - 2019-05-23 23:09:56

Welcome to the forum.  Well, the good news is that your health seems to be greatly improved.  A 55% LVEF is "normal", so that should be a big relief.  I understand that you're without a career, now, and that has to be tough.  Perhaps there are non-CDL driving jobs available or perhaps a forklift operator?  Operating Engineer?  I don't know where you live but $43K/yr shouldn't be impossible in this economy.  Getting such a job with an ICD might be a challenge but I wouldn't volunteer that information. 

Different career

by Lw24332013 - 2019-05-24 10:33:09

I’ve thought about another career but unless i can make enough gainful money it seems pointless. I hate not working but don’t wanna lose my SS. And for LTD to cancel my policy they would have to find me a “similar” job making at least 80% of my pre disability earnings. Going by what i made in 2016. Which is roughly $3500/mo. No entry level job is gonna pay me that i figure. But with my luck SS will drop me and LTD will find a way. I need an attorney i guess. If i had any other career besides military or first responders, i could go back to work. Driving a commercial vehicle with an ICD is just too much of a liability. I could even get a waiver i think with a pacemaker......

Time to start taking classes

by BOBTHOM - 2019-05-25 18:13:36


It's time to start taking classes and get some training for a new career.  Once SS finds out your doctor has released you to light duty work, if there are jobs that you can do, and that's any job you can do, in your local area that pays over $1200/month you will be considered qualified for gainful employment and they will drop you.  And of course with that goes your medicare health insurance.  It's a shame, but that's what they do.  Generally they only review files about every 5 years and I understand they are a little behind these days but if your up for it, it's time to figure out what you want to be when you grow up and take some classes to get you there.  Good luck!

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It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.