A woman from Kentucky called Wyonia Butler says she’s supposed to get over $500,000. She believes she is owed this amount because Social Security hasn’t paid her enough since the 1990s. Wyonia Butler, who is 65 years old, used to work as a nurse back then. Sadly, when she was just 32, she got hurt while working and couldn’t go back to her job.
The Issue
In 1994, Butler’s boss asked her to help move boxes and furniture. Even though it wasn’t part of her usual duties, she had to do it. The company was moving to a new location and needed everyone’s help.
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“I’d always heard you should never refuse to do something just because it’s not your job,” Butler explained. “Looking back, maybe I should have spoken up.” After two weeks, Wyonia Butler told her boss that her back hurt from all the lifting, but her concerns were ignored.
Wyonia Butler
Her boss walked out of the room, saying, “I don’t want to hear that,” Butler recalled. “Now, I understand why he reacted that way. But back then, I was about 32, feeling strong, and didn’t know much about these things.”
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Soon after, even sitting at her desk to do work became really painful. Eventually, Butler became unable to even get out of bed. She later went to the hospital, where they gave her morphine for the pain. Despite getting many injections, she didn’t feel any better.
Medical Check-up
A year and a half later, Wyonia Butler finally got a complete back MRI. It showed a herniation that had worsened and was blocking blood flow to her spine and left leg. In 1996, Butler had surgeries that helped her walk again.
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She mentioned that she initially got workers’ compensation, but it stopped after seven months. She expressed surprise at being on Medicare at a young age. When she applied for SSDI, she informed them about her previous workers’ comp, which had ended.
A Letter to Wyonia Butler
In June 1997, Butler got a letter saying she’d only get 80% of her money. The letter disclosed that she’d be getting that because of the workers’ compensation.
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The problem was she wasn’t even receiving any payments. That meant $1,620 was taken from her benefits. Now, she’s lost over $500,000 in total. She tried to fix it right away but hasn’t gotten any answers in the past 27 years. This issue has caused a heavy hit to her financial situation.
Complaints from Wyonia Butler
At first, she got a letter asking for more information and some forms to fill out. She sent them in and checked back, but they said they were still processing the forms.
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She also talked to the people at the Social Security office. However, they weren’t sure why her account still showed she was getting workers’ compensation.
“I did what they told me,” Wyonia Butler said. “But even now, nothing has been fixed or sorted out.”
Half a Million Dollars
They’re still taking $1,625 from my paycheck every month. I’ve called many times, and they keep saying to be patient; they’re working on it,” she said.
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After five years of not getting any answers, Butler decided to stop trying as she was getting tired. But, even after 27 years, she still doesn’t know where half a million dollars went or why it’s being kept from her. “I think 27 years is more than enough time to sort this out,” Butler said.
Reaching Out
She tried reaching out to senators, lawmakers, and even a former Kentucky Governor, Paul Patton. But no one could assist Butler in getting back her missing payments. She believes her claim might have been rejected due to the delay in her diagnosis.
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She also thinks it could be because her lawyer failed to send a fax to her company about the injury. As a result, Butler lost around $500,000 in payments and had to give up her farm.
Wyonia Butler: Facing Challenges
“When I added up the numbers, I realized how much money they’ve taken from me,” she explained. She ended up without a home, and her husband of 25 years left her after years of money problems. They had to declare bankruptcy, and now she’s living in a rundown house that her dad used to rent out.
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When Butler turned 65, she decided to try to fix things. She was going to fix things by reaching out to some senators and government offices. However, she hasn’t had any luck so far.
Constant Denials
“I should have continued every day until I got an answer,” Butler said. “I should have called more. Due to health reasons, I had to stop. I did call last year and this year. The line just rings and rings.”
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She received a denial of reconsideration after five months despite having immediately corrected the Social Security error. “I sent them info and the three letters from their own employees. They just sent them back saying we don’t need any documents, do not send any more,” Butler said.
At a Loss for What to Do Next
“Instead of taking action or looking into the problem, they just keep telling me to wait,” said Butler. Wyonia Butler shows her frustration after waiting for 28 years without receiving $1,625 in payments.
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This amount doesn’t even include the increases in living expenses over time. “I’ve been working since I was 16, went to college to improve my opportunities, and kept working whenever I could. I’m at a loss for what to do next.”
An Explanation from SSA for Wyonia Butler
The SSA was contacted by email to get their thoughts. The SSA gave an explanation via a blog post. They explained that if someone gets disability payments from private sources like pensions or insurance, it won’t change their Social Security disability benefits.
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However, the story is different with public disability benefits. With public disability benefits, like workers’ compensation, it might affect how much the person gets from Social Security.
What to Do
The SSA further said, “If the money you get from other disability payments changes or stops, let us know immediately. Also, let us know if the amount you get from workers’ compensation or public disability payments goes up or down.
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Any change in these payments could affect how much Social Security you get. Butler’s story is like what many people go through when dealing with Social Security.”
Social Security Administration
Kevin Thompson, a finance expert and founder of 9i Capital Group, made a statement. He says that the Social Security Administration doesn’t have enough staff, so sometimes they make mistakes. But making a $500,000 mistake like this is pretty rare.
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Thompson said that sometimes people don’t get enough money from Social Security. This is because the system doesn’t have the right information about them. He suggests that people should check their Social Security statements to make sure their income is correct. If it’s wrong, they need to fix it.
Light At the End of the Tunnel
“After 27 years,” Thompson explained, “Wyonia Butler may not get all the money she missed back. However, there’s hope that the Social Security Administration will admit their error.
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Thompson further explained, saying, “It’s unlikely they will give Wyonia Butler a big payment all at once. But there could be some compensation in some form.”