LS YOR HAT 1 DO WHEN DENIED BLACK LUNG BENEFITS BY THE BIACK LUNG ASSOQ ATION ST. REER, Mvpa. Our STORY TAKES PLACE way DOWN in. SOUTHERN Wesr VIRGINIA — THAT LAND WeRE we mew COAL 6 sm KING f Mi, HE HAS WoRKED IN THE MINES FoR 17 YEARS, BUT NOW BILL CAN'T | WORK BECAUSE HE CAN'T BREATHE too Goob Wie > fpf La, GET HIS BENEFITSBILL Wenr To THE LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE. HE FILLED OUT THE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL BLACK LUNG BENEFITS. ED OFFICE Next THEY INTERVIEWED BILL THEY PROMISED qo couect ALL oF HS EVIDENCE eo Bur DID THEY ? SOMENMES SOCAL SecuRITY Gers INPRMATION FROM ony BIG AGENCIES = LIKE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION OFFICES, SOCIAL BE SOCIAL. SEURITY DISABILITY OFFICES, OR THE UMWA. SUR Ss Nt . = EN 1< Alp somenues tHeY put S man 1S couecr og use YouREUDAKEe <> rect Your wn \F UKE YOR Dotror's manent. RefoRTS ON YOU fABILL WAITED MANY MONTHS- FINALLY HE GOT A LETTER FROM SOCIAL SECURITY. IT WAS A FORM LETTER AND \T SAD BILL WAS DENIED BIACK LUNG BENEFITS LY BILL'S FRIENDS IN THE BLACK LUNG ASSOCIATION fio BILL NOT TO GUE UP HIS CLAUM BUT INSTEAD DETERMINATION PROCESS.TIS CALLED 8 py 4 RECONSIDERATION IT 1S FREE To DO AND Social SECURITY MAY LooK AT YOUR CLAIM MORE CLOSELY NOW. ACMPORTANT 8 ve Bate LUNG Assoc. rep But 70 Look VERY CLOSEWVAT HIS CLAIM FE € T0GET Someone with EXPERIENCE To HELE fo CLAIM IS DEMIED You WEED 7 KNOWS ww WHAT 1 SOCK SELURITYS REASON FoR TURN iMG YOU Down @ wo tet EVIDENCE potS SOCIAL SECURTY RAE IN YOUR FILE @ wo Whar EVIDENCE IS MISSING = IFANY = A Want NEW EVIDENCE Do You oP MOTE TO WIDOWSS te Her gar } husband died because of BLACK LUNG , you Can get benefits you must pea trat your husband ded becauseoy AR Line ard that he got if Sou working in the mines. Sociaf Seeurity 15 using aeath Certifyeates , mealeal reports, and work records for pre f .Mt At PEOPLE TURNED Dow ? You einece MAYST mecr sve FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FoR BLACK LUNG BENEFITS THE REQUIREMENTS ARE ¢ COU HAVE PNEUMOCON(OSI5 (atAck We) of you have rove beating ¢ and have worked in the punes- you may hi BLA AN X x ven OR ny wand OTHER TESTS ARENEEDED FOR, @YOUR BLACK LUNG MUST HAVE COME FROM WORKING INTHE COAL MINES — if you have worked the wines, 0 years or More, Mis Preset we Sao GM get bench f you've worked lese-Hhan (YOR WoRK RECORDS ARE WEED FOR PROOF © YOU MUST BE TOTALY DISABLED BECALSE OF YOUR BLACK LUNG. Social Security presumes that you ARE NOT totally disabled tt (4 up 40 YOU To PROVE 10 THEM that you ark tokally divabled! REMEMBER THIS UL IN THe Soon. Seeurrry GAME 0 1% ove YOu xs. THEMA b. ALoT oF You ARE BANG DENIED ) BECAUSE OF THIS DISABILITY / \ REQUIREMENT LEPS SOR € TALK ABOUT IT How, 10 PRONE TOTAL DISABILITY WHAT EVIDENCE Do You NEED ? TS 19 WHAT WAS WRITIEN ON THE BARK OF BILL'S DENIAL LETTER — AND ON THE BAEK OF ALL THE DENIAL FORMS ‘FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOTAL DISABILITY REQUIREMENTS (a) A miner is considered to be totally disabled if he has pneumoconiosis Which is shown medically to have reached an advanced stage commonly referred to as "complicated pneumoconiosis." Even though the peumoconiosis has not advanced to the stage described in (a) ebove, a miner may still be considered totally disabled if 1) because of the pneumoconiosis, he has a severe breathing impaiment (as shown ty special breathing tests) that prevents him from engaging in any substantial gainful work. (2) ne nas another severe impaiment that results from pneunoconiosis. “HATS GREEK To mel "pete Bikes 17'S /A PART OF THE GAME = Souat SECURITY IST GOING | HIN ey TO ARE TT EA OR te re Ca EXPLAIN emmyau 1S HAT IT MEANS conn § BENEFITS POSITIVE. “Gs OB BEN FITS G a) env \ii¥ 74 ay ergy @ CX] > vemen prove po ~> § BENEFITS ‘| raw, pores sag —> DENIED DENED NO GLACKLUNG YOU ARE PLAYING THe Sotiac Security GAME IF You WIN - You GET Some J Money IF You LOSE- you CAN GIVE UP OR APPEAL YOUR CLAIM WHAT wit, BRL Do ?pul wi APPEAL AFTER LEARNING WHAT 7o DO FROM THE BLACK LUNG ASSOCIATION MARCHED 70 HE ‘soual SECURITY OFFICE AND DEMANDED Hs RIGHTS [ 1 BETREATED LIKE A PERSON \ 1 DetA LIKE ADOG! / DEMAND TOKO WHY YOU TURNED | ME DowN | | DEMAND 70 seE My ae Socia SEWRITY WAS FORCED TO ANSWER BILL'S QUESTIONS AND GET HIS CLAIM FILE FROM BALTIMORE. HIS FRIEND i THE BLACK LUNG ASSOUATION HELPED BILL Look VERY CAREFULLY AT THE FILE. THEY FOUND THAT SOUMAL SECURITY WAS MISSING SOME OF BILL'S EVIDENCE AND THE REPORTS THEY HAD SAID GILL HAD SIMPLE GLACK LUNG ¥ HIS’ BREATHING TEST SAID IT D/D NOT TOTALLY DISABLE HimTHE BLACK LUNG ASSOCIATION TOLD BILL TO GET NEW TESTS. Too Guick AND OVER SMALE ——S———— To Prove AVvoNe’s REAL TERE ARE OER DISABILITY. TESTS @A SERIES OF FUNCTION TEST Sm WHICH Promo A MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF eo DISABILITY MUCH MORE 2) ; | HOWESTLY. A COMPLETE, SAI GOOD EXAMIVATION (5S MEDED J S = - A I OS f——~\ FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN TAKE 72 TESTS FROM TE BUCK LuWle ASSOCIATION ——— AGs0: SOCIAL SECURITY HAS PROMISED To PAY Foe THE ° [ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE YOU WEED AND To LET YOU Go TO THE DoCTOR OF YauR CHOICE SEE GO 70 THE DOCTOR OF YOUR CHOICE |Buu's FRIEND Elwood was mo TURNED DOWN FOR WS BENEFITS Too 10 Eiwoon’s X-RAY DIDN'TSHOU ANY BLACK WNGE Bur Etwooo sure rent LUKE HE BAD BLACK UNol WHAT IS WRONG?” GOCiAL SECURITY HAD SET UP AND PAID FOR Elwoon's FIRST YERAY. ALL HE GOT WAS ZL CHEAP AND Quick X-RAY I BIACK LUNG boesw'r Always Stow UP ov J I} SIMPLE, CHEAP XRAY. 7 1S. VERY JMPORTANT 70 GE: SéUERAL X-RAYS iv DIFFERENT BODY POSITIONS AND AT DIFFERENT VOLTAGE CHAKGES. ue BUMKLUNG ASSOC. toLp Exwoop THE NAMES OF DOCTORS AND PLACES HERE HE COULD GET GOOD X-RAY tests, THEY'D Be ii You 100 It NPY TO reHl. ° *" Bue & ELwoop cor THEIR NEW EVIDENCE AND). WENT To SOUAL SELURITY 70 SIGN UP FOR RECONSIDERATION THEY FILLED OUT TmCATION But WHEW Uf WAS TIME 10 SIG MW THEIR, MANES 200? DONT LET THEM RUSH YOUL vo pave & months tr appeal a denial. wash A see that alf your eudence (sin wont afieet your back pay (9) & BILL sionen WHEN HE kuew Al HIS EUIDENCE WAS THERE Ayia Get ws Seven | if Gill had lost hy ¢ ould have appealed his fen TEE Leafs Ge a trai aa 46 hip you at Yh Pe 8 get a trust ‘Cawyer TRY HARD 40 wi t application o in RECON /DERATIN = ae ye thdena Now Ly 2bPS Pe ALK fo: cecousweeaion FOR YOU FOLKS WHO ARE FIGHTING At THiS STEP = LET'S REVIEW 2 RECONSIDERATION /PYOUR FIRST APPLICATION (S DENIED APPEAL FOR RECONSIDERATION = HERE'S WHAT YOV DO QOFino wT WHY You WERE DEMED. Q@ FIND OUT WHAT EVIDENE 15 IN YOUR CLAIM FILE - YOu HAVE THE RIGHT 70 See A List OF THE REPORTS IN YOUR CLAIM FILE (YOUR LOCAL SOCAL SECURITY OFFICE HAS THS “IST, ID you HAVE THE RIGHT 70 See Your REA FE THAT WEY KEEP inl PALTUIORE ( DEMAAID THAT YOUR CAL OFFICE Seup FoR 17) @ Ger AW NEW EvioENcE THAT MUG Cri € BE SURE Sowa BewR/TE ansir oe YOU SIGH THE RECONSIDERATION AceucATON, @ wren ALL EVWEME 15 xy SIGN THE AFPUCATON Fy OR RECONE IDE Ramony SS ENR ONS Now we mow HERULES BUT WHAT ELSE Do We HAVE TO KNOW = 75 PLAY THE SOUAL‘BILL Pers B BECAUSE EB rar LEARNED His RIGHTS @Bi. stoop yr FOR Hs RIGHTS LL GOT Abb THE EVIDENCE HE Ont Eh ¢ mADE SURE sowat securITy HAD IT TOO @ But Gor HELP FROM THE p\ BLACK LUNG ASSOCIATION ee c= @BU DIDNT SIGN ANYTHING UnTic HE KNew WHAT iT air € WHY HE SHOULD SIGN IT © Bit 2 WN OF, Uj? i sesso A See WARS 7 hus cheek now, but a lot of ye vn and nuspbors who have applied have. been TURNED Sonn Same may rot have. BACK LUNG = but many the have it have iE cheated ate of thuir benefits baause of the uay Sooal seeuriiy Hem = bactledieal tests, baal aduice. Frou tral opoes é the run artund M0oot AO IWIN Uihy olaes seeial es PH eo ® ege ae aD bad te: BY al secorily iy tae ip Why 15 the whole flung 60 Onuphaited P Don't THEY WANTS 70 BE PADG? SOCIAL SECURITY SANS TEUING THE TRY Tee THEY DO — BUT LF THEY 'RE * WHO Does TANT us pot? (5 ir Te FRESIDEAT “ WHO DION'T WANT THE PROGRAM ISTHE FIRST RACE “i ‘S ir The COAL OPERATORS WHO KRAVE 70 TAKE OVER THE CosTs# OF THE PRIGRAM IN 1773 Ml - Zz Re TANS in HANDS ALSO wy aReur ne eee suo DUSTEREE, 1 Te FURST FUAGE 7/7 BbD “@) hee ot coma coal amawvers, te These oh ons . my benefils but [' keep ™ Fighting vr he 1 Visabled pruners ard widlus ae ALL, the FOOK ard WORKING people PEA gets justi — LET. S GET TOGETHER AND Joss. )\ mate our vaces HEARDUN ES ne y Co, : ge a Ome | yee ASSOC CMB. 5, Yo BLK LYNG BOX S02 5