It can take about a year and a half. My daughter just recently won her appeal. She's only 21, has severe back problems do to scoliosis surgery when she was 13. Add severe fibro to the picture. Hasn't been able to work. SSI changed how they pay you. No longer will they give you a lump sum of money when and if you win. The most back pay they will give is $1500 per 6 month period. They also re calculated how much you will receive by figuring out how much rent you SHOULD have been paying. It doesn't seem to matter whether you could afford paying rent or not.

To answer your question... there is no way to speed it up. And when you most likely get to the 3rd denial, best to get an SSI lawyer.

Sorry you must go through this, I've got severe Fibro and I do not even qualify. I do hope SSI does work in your favor.

I contacted my congresmen and in three months I was approved.

Is the new rules on back pay just SSI or is it SSDI too

I have been waiting a year now..... :(

I have worked all my life, Am 51 have fibro ,DDD,ostearthritis, back surgery ,both hand joints replaced and major depression and have been denied twice and now have a lawyer and waiting on Hearing 12 to 16 months till I get hearing .I could loose everything I have worked for my whole life.Its terrible how long it takes! I Think they make it so hard so u have to get a lawyer its unfair u have to pay to get money your owed!

My father was diagnosed with a terminal illness and worked as long as he could before applying for disability. It took over a year, and his first check arrived the day after the funeral. It had to be sent back because he was dead.

There is no reliable way to speed it up - it just takes as long as it takes. You might try contacting your congressional representative - some will take an interest and some won't. Since some are actively trying to kill the whole system it's not bloody likely those people will do anything to help, but yours might.

Sorry you're having to go through this and I hope it gets resolved soon.

Tulip - I was awarded first time out, my guess know one can say why one is appproved or why the next is denied...but I can say that you need to be very organized.

Make sure you have records of every Doctor and test you have seen/done, blood/lab work. Have every Doctors address and phone number. Keep these things in order...stress this!~

Record all medications you have tried, when and what results occured. List medications you are now taking (who prescribed) and why, keep list up to date.

Keep a ongoing diary of when you first noticed any problems and list each symptom as they appeared and progressed. What triggers or helps beside medications and PT. What is visible or noticeable to others, meaning do you ned help with your daily routine, dressing, cooking, what household jobs can you preform or can not, writting does someone need to script for you, driving limitains...

In short record what you think helps decribe you to others may it be physically and or mentaly on a average.

List things you struggle doing or no longer can preform
adhere to all limitaions given by a Doctor.

Good luck and you able to succeed in a speedy fashion, with the least anount of pain.

Hugs,

Sue

In my case, the expert attorney helped me to be approved at my Administrative Law Judge hearing.
I had to go through all my normal daily living activities to describe exactly how the disability affected me and keeping track helped me to remember other times of disability moments.

The hardest part for me was learning the way the disability assessment is set up. I applied for disability under my original disability and it was only after all the connections were made through extensive tests, referrals, psychological evaluations, and even more details exposed that I was able to prove my disability.

SSDI is different from SSI, and so you will need to be detailed on everything.

Best wishes.

One way to speed up the process is to ask for what's called an ON THE RECORD REVIEW, if you are waiting for a hearing. Sunday, it was 6 yrs. since i first filed. I was denied at my first hearing and will be going to my second hearing soon. DON'T GIVE UP AND KEEP APPEALING. The BEST SITE hands down for questions on the ssa process is ssafacts.com......wealth of info there. You can even ck out what approval rate your judge has. BEST WISHES.

Thanks everyone. tiredgurl you have been waiting for 6 years?

Also, forgot fibro mind! tiredgurl what is on the record review? Thank you very much!

An on the record review is basically instead of waiting for a hearing date for months and months u can ask for a adminstrative law judge to look at your case file and see if they can make a decision on your case without a hearing. If there is not enough to make an instant decision your file is put back in line for a hearings. Do u have an attorney?

No not yet. I may use Allsup I heard good things about them. What is your take on them? And thank you for the information. I feel so lost as I have no family. ( who care ) I only have my friend that I am staying with and don't know how long I can stay.

I am in line and waiting to go before the judge. My back is a mess with 13 bad discs and spinal stenosis in 3 areas along with double vision and fibromyalgia and a few other fun things but I still got turned down on the application and reconsideration. My doctors were more pissed than me it seemed.lol