Congrats on your approval! I'm always encouraged when I hear of another person with TBI getting approved. My hearing is on Wednesday.

Another thought is that SSA won't pay benefits back more than a year before you filed, even if your injury occurred before that. In my case, my TBI was in January of 2004. I worked on and off until May 2006 (same job, very patient, generous employer and STD policy) when I sustained a second TBI. But I was stubborn and confused and tried to muddle through. In November of 2007, when my house was foreclosed on, my savings was gone and retirement was cashed out and gone, I finally filed. If I get approved at my hearing this week, I won't get benefits back to January 2004, or even May of 2006. The longest they will go back with benefits retroactively is November 2006, 12 months prior to my application.