PIP Tribunal Today...

I had my medical assessment (or whatever it's called) 2 weeks ago in Luton, after twice bering told to travel 2 hours away for one. The assessor was so lovely so I was very lucky as he put my mind at rest at every point. I have extreme pain from plates and pins in my pelvis following a car accident which also shattered my liver and spleen, and caused a collapsed lung. I now have such extensive internal scarring that my bowel is tethered to the wall of my abdomen, and I have had four operations to try and free up even small amounts of it. My abdominal muscles are now so damaged that I get regular hernias, and spend weeks at a time in hospital to get pain relief from morphine.

Because of the accident I also suffer PTSD, and cannot drive anywhere that I don't know, and certainly never on a motorway. I have to be driven because of extreme panic attacks.

This was all discussed at the assessment, and the guy seemed to get it all spot on. I can't walk far, and barely at all in the winter, because of the pain that shoots through my hips and pelvis, and by far I mean 20 or 30 steps.

The accident happened a long time ago, and I have never ever asked for help from anyone, nor have I ever claimed anything.

There is an awful lot I could say about pain and ability etc, but I would go on forever.

Today I got my award notice, and it was a letter of rejection. They said that they recognise that I am disabled, but that they don't think I need any help.

I can't even get out of bed without my husband, and struggle to get changed on my own. I can't lift my arms up to shoulder level because of muscle wastage in my abdomen, and I can't get my children to parties or activities because I cant drive on my own.

What do I do now? I have had a good cry, because it took so much out of me to get to the test centre that I had a panic attack and vomited once I got into my friend's car to be driven home. The result and the letter have made me doubt myself, and I feel like they see me as a fraud, which I find so upsetting because it took so much to even apply.

Any advice would be so greatly appreciated. The letter states that I can ask for the decision to be reconsidered, and that they will not go to tribunal until I have done that. But if the result is going to be the same anyway I just don't think I can go through this again.

Thank you in advance.

Hi

You have 28 days to appeal.
The first stage is a mandatory reconsideration which means another decision maker looks at the original decision. Sometimes this results in an award. If it doesn't you have to appeal again and it goes to an independent panel which gives you a better chance of an award.
The appeals process and the best way to win is all in our guide in the members area. If you didn't use it at the time please also read the guide to claiming which may help you see where you could have made a better case on your initial claim.
Remember it is how your health affects you in carrying out the activities backed up by evidence that gives you the best chance.
Once you have studied the guides and made up your mind please come back if you require any more help.

Thank you x

Hi just wanted to reply and say I have a similar condition, with recurrent bowel obstructions and several emergency surgeries and bowel resections, it can be very debilitating. Just wanted to mention there are several support groups online e.g. Facebook, and several people have appealed and been awarded PIP. HTH. This website is very useful for the forms and advice too.

Also, some people have been saying how to make sure you state about your mental health conditions and any meds taken as well as things like pain clinic and meds for that and how these things affect you too. Good luck xx

Thanks Orangeblossom. I have written a long response to each question in my request to reassess my application. I was devastated that this condition had not been taken seriously, but have calmed down and am now ready to fight again. It's just exhausting though.