penny,
be peparedd for, potentially, one of the must frustrating periods of your life.. i was approved for ssd in 1991 and i understand that things have changed for the better. for example, today you can make your initial application on-line. nice and, supposedly, easy.
when i got my ssd, over 90% of all initial applicants were rejected out of hand. i even know a a person who became a quadrapelegic from an auto accident and was initially rejected! without being a "calssist," i feel as though these initial rejections were an attempt by ss to weed out those who were not prepared to fight.
i appealed the initial rejection and this appeal was denied, implying that i would be back to work any day. i got an attorney and went before an admiinistrative law judge who said, on the record, that my application should never have been denied in the first place.
a few things to do and remember:
1. get copies of all medical reports and x-ray, mri, c/t scan reports. keep these records pristine, safe, and oranized.
2. get at least one dr (preferable more) to come to bat for you. without their statements and reports indicating total indefinite disability, your chances of prevailing are slim.
3. file your claim early. no matter how long it takes, your payments are backdated to the original date of your first claim.
how long does it take? how long is a piece of string? i beliee i got my awrd in about 2 yrs. i've herd of people reently who have gottentheirs in less than one yr. i have also heard of cases (on the chronic pain forum) in which the appeals have taken almost 5 yrs. don't mean to scare you, but that's my experience ad the experience of othes i have met.
hope this helps.
warren