Lost DLA appeal - treated badly

Dear Caroline

I don't know what sort of person would write anything bad about you after you have been through such an ordeal.

I think the way they dealt with you was totally disgusting no wonder you have been crying, I feel so very angry and also sad just reading about it.

They showed no respect to you at all especially from the disabled person on the panel and I would have thought they have broken many laws but as we know the government have more or less made sure we can't do anything about it but don't let it stop you from making enquiries if that's what you want to do.

I will be thinking about you and hope you get the money you are entitled to and I will be watching for any further posts.

Lots of love and best wishes to you and your family.

Sadly I think the days are gone when you could go into a Tribunal and expect a fair outcome. It was also my experience that I had a barrister to represent me but I too had only met her briefly half an hour before the First tier Tribunal began. She duly said a few words at the end of the Tribunal and did not live up to my expectations and made a poor attempt of summarising my case. I applied to the Upper Tribunal and this first Tribunal was eventually overturned. Your welfare Officer will I am sure find plenty of "errors of law" as my welfare officer did. Like you I had to gather more medical info. and get a new representative and a new submission written only to find the first tier tribunal has been cancelled three times already. Don't expect results over night - how do they expect people like us to pay the bills when the benefits are stopped without reason and where often no work is possible.
The whole thing is a sham. I am becoming more and more convinced... Please don't get upset - it seems that bullying is the one thing they seem to be good at!

rockingglass wrote:

Sadly I think the days are gone when you could go into a Tribunal and expect a fair outcome. It was also my experience that I had a barrister to represent me but I too had only met her briefly half an hour before the First tier Tribunal began. She duly said a few words at the end of the Tribunal and did not live up to my expectations and made a poor attempt of summarising my case. I applied to the Upper Tribunal and this first Tribunal was eventually overturned. Your welfare Officer will I am sure find plenty of "errors of law" as my welfare officer did. Like you I had to gather more medical info. and get a new representative and a new submission written only to find the first tier tribunal has been cancelled three times already. Don't expect results over night - how do they expect people like us to pay the bills when the benefits are stopped without reason and where often no work is possible.
The whole thing is a sham. I am becoming more and more convinced... Please don't get upset - it seems that bullying is the one thing they seem to be good at!

I disagree many many people are very happy with tribunals and many do far better than they ever thought they would

your view could be coloured by the outcome and having someone on the tribual who you found un helpful or the fact you did not get the result you wanted

to call the tribunals a"sham" well could you please supply your evidance to back up such a claim I am shocked by that claim?

Thanks for the replies and advice, it's helping so much.
I am going to give myself till next week and then face it. I'm not brave and have severe anxiety so I'm struggling a bit with it. I have already started asking specialists for reports. I saw one yesterday and he said don't worry we'll help you
Prob come back on Mon and get stuck in!