SSA Disability Attorney coming to USVI

Hello there folks. When I moved to the USVI, I was in an awkward situation. I was disabled, but still tangled up in the disability knot of rejections, errors in my file, appeals and the need for an attorney. I was also being told by all of my doctors that I had to be in a warmer climate.

Last September, there were no attornies who dealt specifically with SSA and disability, and the SSA hearings were all being held in Puerto Rico, which made it all the more challenging for someone with a physical disability.

I worked diligently over this year with the help of many other people on St. Croix, and in the end, the results were:

A. I finally won a three year battle
B. An attorney from Puerto Rico who ONLY does SSA disability will begin providing legal counsel and representation in the USVI
C. The SSA will begin to have regularly scheduled hearings on St. Croix again.

As in the States, I imagine there are a number of people who have just given up after multiple rejections, yet remain unemployable. There are probably those too who receive supports from our various social services, but whom cannot travel safely to Puerto Rico for whatever reason.

If you are an individual, a case manager, a medical social work coordinator and need assistance with becoming linked with this attorney, I would be more than happy to assist. Sort of a Karma thing where I feel the need to assist others in the way so many have helped me.

Please feel free to email me at 340-513-7941; and I can get you in touch with Attorney Pedro Cruz, formerly of Cruz and Wiscovitch. I can even assist in getting you the initial paperwork you might need.

Even if this helps one or two people, living in poverty and with disability is an awful plight that leads to many ancillary problems such as homelessness and/or significant depression.

If you know of anyone who is stuck in this position, and could pass this information along, I would be grateful to be able to help people avoid living the way I have for years.

Also, a quick kudos to the SSA for seeing the need for people of the USVI to be heard in the USVI rather than trying to bounce their way over to PR, only to have to walk a significant distance, and then sit for hours. If that had been the case, I would still be waiting.

Thank you again to all of the folks who regularly read this board as you are always so supportive of networking, and to those of you who might be moving here based on a medical recommendation, there is now help to follow the recommendation and still pursue the course you might have began re: SSI stateside.

Warmest regards to all,

Dan