"You Spin Me Right Round Baby . . ."

~ Dead or Alive



Two weeks ago, I received a letter from the Social Security Administration:

"Your appeal request has not been processed because you failed to submit the SSA 3441 Disability Report - Appeal form. Please complete this enclosed form in it's entirety and return."

The backstory:

I submitted the my appeal forms (HA-501-U5 & SSA-827) minus SSA 3441 in person and was told I could submit 3441 online or by mail at a later date. I mailed 3441 the day before I received notice that my appeal could not be processed.

Confused yet? Sit tight, grab some tylenol.

The Social Security Administration not only mailed a blank form 3441 but also my original appeal application containing forms 501 & 827. Having already mailed the requested form, I mailed forms 501 & 827 back with the following note.

"I mailed SSA form 3441 on Tuesday, 10/24/06. When I filed my appeal I was told (incorrectly) that I could submit the form at a later date. The rest of the forms are enclosed. Please send me confirmation that you have all the information/forms for my appeal to go forward."

Since form 3441 was mailed out a day before I received 501 & 827, I fully expected to get a letter stating that Social Security had received 3441 but that I had failed to complete forms 501 & 827.

Nope. Apparently, 501 & 827 made it back home before 3441. Yesterday, I received an envelope containing the completed 501 & 827 forms and another blank 3441 along with this note.

"Your appeal request has not been processed because you failed to submit the SSA 3441 Disability Report - Appeal form. Please complete this enclosed form in it's entirety and return."

"We do not have a record of this document. Your claim cannot be processed until this form is complete."

I filled out 3441 again and mailed it with 501 & 827. God help me if the original 3441 turns up.