Hi folks!

I had to apply for SSDI a number of years ago (not for CAH) after a very bad car accident -- I had to have numerous surgeries to put my body back together, and even after very intense rehab I was left unable to work.  I have extensive nerve damage in my legs.  In spite of the fact that I could neither stand nor sit for more than 10 or 15 minutes, I was turned down.  I appealed, and was turned down again.  At which point, I hired a lawyer and we appealed again.  This hearing was in front of a judge, not Social Security.  The judge read my file and we didn’t even need the hearing -- he approved my application. 

What I learned through the process is that it is almost universal that Social Security will deny a claim when first applied for.  They often deny on the first appeal as well.  I probably didn’t even need the lawyer, except that I was getting very discouraged and was almost ready to give up.  It was nice to hand the fight over to someone else.

If you have a child that you believe should qualify for help from Social Security, it is important to follow through on the appeals.