Food Stamps and Workers Compensation Settlement

[DART]

I have been fighting my self insured employer on my workers compensation. I think my attorney messed up and they were able to terminate my TTD benefits last year. Because I am a single parent with a disabled child and a toddler, I had to apply for welfare for me and the kids. We get food stamps and a medical card only. Now I am faced with my attorney keeps pushing me to settle. Even though I don't want to, I don't feel like I have any other way. It's clear he is more tired of fighting them than even I am. Anyway, aside from many other issues I have to consider, I need to know how this settlement could effect my family's medical benefits, and mostly how it will effect my food stamps and my son's SSI entitlement. I forgot, we currently are recieivng a small check for SSI benefits because of my son's disability. I know that is based on the families income. So since my attorney is really unable to explain to me in a straightforward -CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW A SETTLEMENT WOULD EFFECT MY SON'S SSI & OUR FAMILIES FOOD STAMPS/MEDICAID ( If any one of you are familiar with welfare I'm sure you will understand what I am talking about when I say that I am definately not comfortable discussing this with my case worker because I have already had to give up my dignity by asking for help - if I say anything about a settlement before I've made my final decision, she will think I'm hiding something because when I applied for SSI for my son, I neglected to tell her that I had applied. When they awarded it to us, they just dropped it into my bank account and didn't even tell me he had gotten it. 2 months went by and I'm thinking we are broke, and here 2 checks were sitting in my account. She is actually the one who told me when she e-mailed me and told me she was adjusting my food stamps because of the increase in income. SURPRISE!!!!)

[BvIA]

You may as well trot down to the Social Services offices and discuss this with the case worker...at some point you are going to HAVE to do this...and yes...the settlement money, and the current benefits you are receiving could/will affect your SSI benefits.

The longer you wait to deal with this the more you could see in overpayments...and that will affect your entitlement.

People on a message board are not in the position to advise you on the legalities of your situation.

Whether or not you should settle your comp claim is something you should discuss fully with your attorney... obviously you need to do what is in your best interests... and your atty may not know the ins and outs of the SSI system and rules.

There is no disgrace in your being in your situation...there are thousands of people all over the country in the same boat...

good luck to you... and your family.

[bubbanut8]

Dart what area of ohio are you in? I do feel for the situation you find yourself in... I dont believe the settlement will effect the welfare here in Ohio only because of all the things we resently have been seeing on the news about the women who has a half million dollar house paid for drives a mercedes paid for and $80,000 in the bank and yet she gets welfare?

The reason I ask about where you live is because you dont seem all that confident in the way your lawyer has and is currently handling your claim. You can private mess me if you want.